The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, citing crimes against humanity related to gender and politically-motivated persecution in Afghanistan. The announcement made public on Tuesday, July 8, marks a historic move by the court in addressing the worsening human rights crisis under Taliban rule.
According to the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Akhundzada and Haqqani orchestrated or ordered a systematic campaign of persecution since the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021. The court cited widespread and ongoing violations, including murder, torture, rape, and enforced disappearance, particularly targeting women, girls, and individuals defying Taliban-imposed gender norms or perceived as supporting women’s rights.
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The Chamber found that the Taliban implemented official policies that stripped women and girls of fundamental rights such as education, freedom of movement, expression, thought, privacy, and religion. These acts, the court concluded, amount to crimes against humanity under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute.
Although the arrest warrants remain sealed to protect victims and witnesses, the ICC deemed it necessary to disclose their existence publicly “in the interests of justice,” suggesting that transparency may deter further abuses.
This move signals a significant escalation in international legal action against Taliban leaders, who have operated without formal recognition since the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. The decision could open the door to future prosecutions and international pressure, although enforcement remains uncertain in a country isolated mainly from global legal mechanisms.