ICC Prosecutor Seeks Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders Over Persecution of Women
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday that he is seeking arrest warrants for senior Taliban officials in Afghanistan due to the ongoing persecution of women, which constitutes a crime against humanity.
Karim Khan stated that there is substantial evidence suggesting that Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani are criminally responsible for the gender-based persecution of Afghan women and girls, as well as the LGBTQ community.
Khan described the ongoing oppression as unprecedented, unconscionable, and severe, stressing that the international community cannot accept the current situation for women and girls in Afghanistan.
The ICC judges will now review Khan’s application before deciding whether to issue the arrest warrants, a process that may take weeks or even months. The ICC, located in The Hague, handles cases involving the world’s most severe crimes, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Without its own police force, the ICC depends on its 125 member states to enforce arrest warrants, with mixed results. As a result, anyone subject to an ICC arrest warrant risks being detained if they travel to a member state.
Khan also warned that additional requests for other Taliban officials would be forthcoming. He highlighted that crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape, and enforced disappearances, have been committed by the Taliban in their brutal repression of perceived resistance or opposition.
