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ICC Confirms Sealed Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders Over Gender Persecution

Countries party to the court must decide whether to arrest suspects despite Taliban rejection of its authority.

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Abdul Kabir (C), Afghanistan's acting Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, speaks during a graduation ceremony of Manba-ul-Jihad, a madrassa or Islamic school, in Khost on January 24, 2025. Afghanistan's Taliban government said on January 24 an arrest warrant sought by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for its leaders was "politically motivated". (Photo by AFP)
A Taliban security personnel stands over an armoured tank bearing a Taliban flag, as he keeps guard during a religious procession by Afghan Shiite Muslims celebrating Ashura, on the tenth day of the Islamic holy month of Muharram, in Kabul on July 6, 2025.
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Overview

  • On July 8, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber II publicly confirmed sealed warrants against Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani for crimes against humanity.
  • These leaders are accused of systematic persecution of women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons under Taliban edicts from August 2021 through January 2025.
  • The indictment marks the first time the ICC has charged individuals with gender-based persecution as a standalone crime against humanity.
  • The Taliban regime has rejected the court’s jurisdiction and its spokesman declared it will not comply with any arrest orders.
  • The ICC has no enforcement arm and relies on cooperation from its 125 member states, leaving the execution of the warrants uncertain.