SECO Updates Taliban Sanctions Database - Switzerland
Summary
SECO updated Switzerland's sanctions database SESAM on April 14, 2026 to reflect UN sanctions committee changes from April 13, 2026 regarding Taliban-linked persons and organizations under ordinance SR 946.231.07. Financial intermediaries in Switzerland must implement asset freezes on sanctioned parties, prohibit dealings with listed entities, and report affected relationships to SECO.
What changed
The UN sanctions committee modified the Taliban sanctions list on April 13, 2026, and SECO updated the Swiss SESAM database on April 14, 2026 to reflect these changes. The modifications are directly applicable in Switzerland under ordinance SR 946.231.07. Financial intermediaries must comply with asset freeze requirements, implement prohibitions against sanctioned parties, and report affected relationships to SECO. Additionally, reporting to SECO does not relieve intermediaries of their independent obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (GwG) to conduct further clarifications and report to MROS if suspicions cannot be resolved.
Financial intermediaries in Switzerland should immediately verify their customer databases against the updated SESAM sanctions list and ensure their compliance systems can identify and block transactions involving newly listed parties. Non-compliance with sanctions obligations or failure to report suspicious activities to MROS may result in regulatory enforcement action under Swiss law.
What to do next
- Implement sanctions prohibitions for Taliban-listed persons and organizations
- Freeze assets of sanctioned persons, companies, and organizations
- Report affected business relationships to SECO
- Report suspicious activities to MROS under Art. 9 GwG if suspicions cannot be resolved
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
News
16 April 2026 Financial sanction 2026
Aktualisierte Sanktionsmeldung: Taliban
Das Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft (SECO) hat eine Änderung der Liste der sanktionierten natürlichen Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen der Verordnung vom 21. März 2025 über Massnahmen gegenüber Personen und Organisationen, die mit den Taliban in Verbindung stehen (SR 946.231.07), publiziert. Mit Beschluss vom 13. April 2026 hat das zuständige UNO-Sanktionskomitee die Liste der in diesem Kontext sanktionierten Personen, Unternehmen und Organisationen geändert. Die Änderung ist in der Schweiz direkt anwendbar. Das SECO hat daher am 14. April 2026 die für die Schweiz massgebliche Sanktionsdatenbank SESAM (SECO Sanctions Management) angepasst und die Anpassung auf seiner Internetseite publiziert.
Die Finanzintermediäre werden gemäss den Vorschriften der Verordnung aufgefordert, die Verbote umzusetzen, die Vermögenswerte der sanktionierten Personen zu sperren und dem SECO die betroffenen Geschäftsbeziehungen zu melden. Die Meldung an das SECO entbindet einen Finanzintermediär nicht davon, bei Verdachtsmomenten zusätzliche Abklärungen gemäss Art. 6 GwG vorzunehmen und falls er diese nicht ausräumen kann, unverzüglich bei der Meldestelle für Geldwäscherei gemäss Art. 9 GwG eine Meldung zu erstatten.
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