The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor announced on Thursday that he is seeking arrest warrants against senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan for the persecution of women, which is considered a crime against humanity.
Karim Khan stated that there are reasonable grounds to suspect Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani of bearing criminal responsibility for the crime of persecution on gender grounds. He emphasized that Afghan women, girls, and the LGBTQ community are facing ongoing persecution by the Taliban, which is unacceptable.
ICC judges will now review Khan's application before deciding whether to issue an arrest warrant, a process that could take some time. The court, based in The Hague, handles cases related to war crimes and crimes against humanity but relies on member states to carry out its arrest warrants.
Khan warned that he will be seeking additional applications for other Taliban officials in the near future. He highlighted that crimes such as murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, and other forms of violence are being committed by the Taliban in addition to persecution.
Since returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban has imposed strict restrictions on women and girls, leading to international condemnation. The group has barred girls from secondary school and women from university, closed beauty salons, and restricted women's movement in public spaces.
Despite facing criticism, the Taliban authorities have defended their policies, claiming they are in accordance with Islamic law. The international community continues to push for the protection of women's rights in Afghanistan.
