The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for two high-ranking Taliban officials, accusing them of committing gender-based crimes as part of the ongoing repression of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
This move was immediately met with approval from Afghan women and human rights activists, who expressed hope that the international community has not forgotten their plight.
One Afghan activist, who teaches basic literacy to girls in rural areas under harsh restrictions, shared her thoughts with CNN, “It gives us hope that our voices are not forgotten – that the world still hears our call for equality and justice.” She chose to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation.
In a statement released Thursday, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan noted that there is substantial evidence suggesting that Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Chief Justice of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” bear responsibility for crimes against humanity due to their persecution of Afghan women and girls.
Khan explained that the two leaders are linked to crimes targeting women, those opposing the Taliban’s strict gender norms, and their perceived allies.
Khan also pointed out that the Taliban’s opposition is met with severe repression, including acts such as murder, torture, sexual violence, imprisonment, and enforced disappearances.
The request for arrest warrants must still be approved by a judge. Should they be granted, enforcement of the warrants will depend on the cooperation of countries that are signatories to the ICC. Khan also indicated that his office will seek more warrants for other senior Taliban figures in the near future.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the rights of women and girls have been systematically stripped away.
The group initially claimed it would allow women to continue their education but has instead imposed draconian measures, such as banning women from attending universities, closing secondary schools, and halting women’s employment at NGOs, including the United Nations.
A particularly alarming recent decree from the Taliban mandates that new buildings be constructed without windows through which women could be seen.
Existing windows must be walled up or covered, with Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid justifying the move by claiming that seeing women working in kitchens or collecting water could lead to “obscene acts.”
Human Rights Watch has also praised the ICC’s efforts, calling the application for arrest warrants a reminder that justice is possible.
Fereshta Abbasi, a researcher for HRW, emphasized the importance of the move, stating, “The Taliban have been systematically denying women and girls of Afghanistan their fundamental rights for the past three and a half years. It’s time for them to be held accountable for these violations.”
Abbasi also expressed hope that the ICC’s investigation would expand to cover other serious abuses in Afghanistan, including those committed by international military forces and the Islamic State.
A British-Afghan activist and co-founder of the Friends of Afghan Women Network, Shabnam Nasimi, told CNN, “Justice mechanisms must not only hold those responsible to account but use that leverage to prioritize the restoration of Afghan women’s basic human rights.”
She continued, “Without tangible outcomes, including the guaranteed right to education for Afghan girls, international legal action will offer little solace to those living inside Afghanistan.”
While no country officially recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, several nations, including Russia, China, and Pakistan, have established diplomatic ties with the group.
