Overview

• On July 8, 2025 the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber II publicly confirmed sealed arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani on charges of crimes against humanity for gender-based persecution.
• The court found reasonable grounds to believe both men orchestrated policies that severely deprived women and girls of fundamental rights including education, privacy, family life and freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.
• The allegations cover conduct from the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021 through at least January 2025 and extend to targeting individuals whose gender identity or sexual expression conflicted with Taliban policy.
• Sealed to protect victims and witnesses the warrants must be executed by ICC member states since the Hague-based court has no independent police force.
• Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected ICC authority and pledged non-compliance, raising doubts over the likelihood of arrests.