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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders, accusing them of crimes against humanity for their role in the persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan. The Hague-based court named Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, citing "reasonable grounds" to believe they are responsible for severe restrictions imposed since the Taliban regained power in 2021.
Since their takeover, the Taliban has barred girls over 12 from attending school, restricted women from many professions, and imposed rules limiting how far women can travel without a male chaperone. Decrees have also been issued prohibiting women from raising their voices in public. The ICC stated that these measures specifically target women and girls, depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms based on their gender. The Taliban, which does not recognise the ICC's authority, condemned the warrants as "a clear act of hostility" and an "insult to the beliefs of Muslims worldwide." The group insists it respects women's rights within its interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law. The United Nations has previously likened the Taliban's restrictions to "gender apartheid." Human Rights Watch welcomed the ICC's move but urged the court to broaden its investigations to include abuses by other groups, such as the Islamic State of Khorasan Province, former Afghan security forces, and US personnel. The ICC, which investigates genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes when national authorities are unable or unwilling to act, relies on member states to enforce arrests, as it lacks its own police force. The prospect of these warrants was first raised in January by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who accused the Taliban leaders of targeting not only women and girls but also individuals perceived as opposing their ideological views on gender. In response to earlier ICC threats, the Taliban's foreign ministry claimed the court ignored alleged war crimes by US-led forces and their allies before 2021. The warrants mark a significant step in addressing the ongoing erosion of women's rights in Afghanistan, though their enforcement remains uncertain.
