The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor has announced that arrest warrants have been requested for two senior Taliban leaders, including supreme spiritual leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, for their role in the persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan. Karim Khan, the ICC’s chief prosecutor, stated that there is “reasonable grounds to believe” Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Taliban’s chief justice, are criminally responsible for the crime against humanity of gender-based persecution.
The ICC’s investigation centers on widespread human rights violations against Afghan women and girls since the Taliban seized power in August 2021. The prosecutor’s office said the accused leaders are responsible for “persecuting Afghan girls and women,” as well as those perceived as allies to women’s rights, such as activists and educators.
Under Taliban rule, women’s rights have been severely restricted, including bans on education, work, and freedom of movement. The request for arrest warrants marks the first time ICC prosecutors have taken action in their investigation into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, which has included accusations against the US military.
Although Taliban leaders did not immediately respond to the prosecutor’s statement, women’s rights groups welcomed the move. If the arrest warrants are issued, however, analysts suggest they may have little practical impact on Akhundzada, who rarely leaves Afghanistan. Nonetheless, the request would further isolate the Taliban internationally, weakening its legitimacy.
The ICC, headquartered in The Hague, faces a crisis of its own, amid escalating tensions with the US and Russia over high-profile arrest warrants, and ongoing internal investigations into the conduct of its officials.
