Afghanistan Times
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KABUL – The Taliban government expressed strong disapproval of the recent sanctions imposed by the European Union on three of its leaders and urged for a dialogue to address the issue.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief spokesperson for the Taliban, conveyed the group’s concerns in a concise statement. According to Mujahid, the inclusion of certain Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan officials on the EU sanctions list would not benefit any party involved. Instead of resorting to pressure and sanctions, he advocated for interaction, dialogue, and mutual understanding as a more constructive approach.
The spokesperson pointed out that repeating failed attempts and enforcing policies against the Afghan people, particularly members of the Taliban, had not yielded any positive results in the past two and a half decades. This implied that previous international sanctions on their leaders had not achieved the desired outcomes.
The EU had recently imposed sanctions on 18 individuals and five entities in Afghanistan, Russia, Ukraine, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic, citing “serious human rights violations and abuses.” Among those targeted were the acting Education Minister Habibullah Agha, Justice Minister Abdul Hami Sharei, and Taliban Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
The reasons given by the EU for sanctioning these Taliban leaders included their alleged involvement in depriving Afghan girls and women of their right to education, access to justice, and gender equality. As a consequence of these sanctions, the designated individuals face a travel ban, preventing them from entering EU territories, and their assets are subject to freezing.
