ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Top Taliban Leaders Over Persecution of Women and Girls

In a landmark decision, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban figures, Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhunzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani — over charges of gender-based persecution targeting women and girls in Afghanistan.

Announcing the warrants on Tuesday, ICC judges said there are “reasonable grounds to believe” that both leaders committed crimes against humanity by systematically denying women and girls fundamental rights solely based on their gender.

“While the Taliban have imposed certain rules and prohibitions on the population as a whole, they have specifically targeted girls and women by reason of their gender,” the ICC stated.

According to the court, since the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, Afghan women and girls have been “severely deprived” of their rights to education, privacy, family life, and freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience, and religion. The ruling also noted that individuals expressing diverse gender identities and sexual orientations have faced targeted oppression under the Taliban’s hardline interpretation of gender norms.

The ICC confirmed that the alleged crimes continued until at least January 20, 2025.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who submitted the application for arrest warrants earlier this year, emphasized that the move highlights the court’s commitment to standing with victims:

“Afghan women, girls, and the LGBTQI+ community are facing an unprecedented, unconscionable, and ongoing persecution by the Taliban,” Khan said in a statement.

Human rights group Amnesty International praised the ICC’s action, calling it “an important step toward justice” for victims of gender-based oppression under Taliban rule.