The Hague( The COW News Digital)The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Afghanistan’s Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani. The charges stem from alleged crimes against humanity, specifically the systematic oppression and discrimination against women and girls during their regime.
The ICC prosecutors had earlier submitted a formal request to the judges, urging the issuance of warrants for the two senior Taliban figures. The court stated that the actions of the Taliban leadership between August 15, 2021, and January 20, 2025, constitute grave violations of human rights and international law.
In its ruling, the ICC declared that the Taliban regime imposed widespread restrictions on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls, based solely on gender. These restrictions included denial of access to education, limitations on freedom of movement, expression, religion, family life, and other civil liberties. Additionally, individuals who did not conform to the Taliban’s gender or sexual identity norms were also reportedly targeted.
“The court recognizes these systematic abuses as crimes against humanity,” the judges said in a statement. “The targeting of women and girls purely on the basis of their gender represents one of the most serious violations under international law.”
Despite issuing the warrants, the ICC does not have an independent enforcement mechanism. It relies on its 124 member states to arrest and hand over individuals named in such warrants. This has proven to be a major obstacle in past cases, with many accused never facing trial due to lack of cooperation or political challenges.
The court’s decision puts both Akhundzada and Haqqani at risk of arrest if they travel to any country that is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the ICC.
Legal experts suggest that while an immediate arrest is unlikely, the warrants serve as a powerful symbolic and diplomatic tool. They could limit the international mobility of Taliban leaders and increase pressure on the regime, already facing global criticism over its human rights record.
The ICC, based in The Hague, is the world’s only permanent court tasked with prosecuting individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
