ICC Seeks Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders Over Gender-Based Persecution Crimes

The International Criminal Court accuses two senior Taliban officials of crimes against humanity for systematic repression of Afghan women, girls, and LGBTQ individuals.

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan has requested arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
The charges include persecution on gender grounds, encompassing acts like murder, torture, sexual violence, and enforced disappearance since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021.
The Taliban's restrictions on women include bans on education, work, and public visibility, with severe punishments for dissenters and those not conforming to gender norms.
The ICC investigation, resumed in October 2022, marks a significant step toward accountability for human rights abuses in Afghanistan under Taliban rule.
Human rights groups have welcomed the move, emphasizing the importance of international justice in addressing ongoing persecution and systemic rights violations.