The International Criminal Court prosecutor has applied for arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing them of the persecution of women and girls. The prosecutor found reasonable grounds to believe that they bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds, particularly persecuting Afghan girls, women, and their allies. The persecution has taken place since the Taliban captured Kabul in August 2021, with restrictions on women’s rights including limits on schooling, work, and independence.
This move by the ICC prosecutor is part of a broader investigation into potential war crimes in Afghanistan since 2007, including alleged crimes by the U.S. military. The prosecutor stated that the Taliban’s interpretation of Islamic law cannot justify human rights abuses or crimes, and their actions against Afghan women and girls are unacceptable.
There was no immediate comment from the Taliban leaders on the prosecutor’s statement, but groups defending women’s rights welcomed the action. The ICC will now determine whether to issue arrest warrants, with the process typically taking three months. This comes at a time when the credibility of the ICC is being questioned, with the court facing challenges such as new economic sanctions being prepared against it and allegations of sexual misconduct against the chief prosecutor.
If the warrants are issued, it may not have a significant impact on Akhundzada, as he rarely travels outside Afghanistan, but it could damage the Taliban’s international legitimacy. The prosecutor’s action signifies a commitment to pursuing accountability for gender-based crimes in Afghanistan and sending a message that the persecution of women and girls by the Taliban is intolerable.
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