ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest of Taliban Leaders for Gender-Based Crimes

The International Criminal Court accuses Taliban leaders of crimes against humanity for systematic persecution of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals in Afghanistan.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has requested arrest warrants for Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Supreme Judge Abdul Hakim Haqqani over alleged crimes against humanity.
The charges stem from evidence of ongoing, systematic persecution of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals across Afghanistan since the Taliban's return to power in 2021.
The Taliban's policies have severely restricted women's rights, including bans on education, work, and public visibility, and have been enforced through violent repression.
ICC member states would be obligated to arrest the accused if they enter their territories, though the Taliban leaders rarely travel internationally.
The move has been widely praised by human rights advocates as a critical step toward accountability for the Taliban's gender-based oppression.