THE HAGUE:
In a landmark move, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders, holding them responsible for systematic and gender-based persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan since the group’s return to power in 2021.
The warrants, announced Tuesday, target Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the regime’s chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani. ICC judges said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe both men committed crimes against humanity by depriving women and girls of their basic rights solely on the basis of their gender.
“The Taliban have imposed broad restrictions on society,” the court said in an official statement, “but women and girls have been singled out for especially harsh treatment — denied education, mobility, employment, and the right to participate in public life.”
The court emphasized that since August 15, 2021 — when the Taliban reclaimed control of Kabul — through at least January 2025, Afghan women have been subjected to severe repression. ICC prosecutors cited bans on girls attending secondary school and universities, curbs on women’s employment, and policies that forced thousands of women out of government jobs or into house-bound isolation under the guise of modesty.
In addition, judges noted a sweeping crackdown on women’s visibility in public life, including bans on beauty salons, parks, gyms, and travel without a male guardian. A draconian morality law introduced in 2024 also prohibited women from singing or reciting poetry in public and demanded their voices and bodies be “concealed” outside the home.
The warrants stem from an ongoing ICC investigation, and more names are expected to be added. ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, in a statement earlier this year, described the Taliban’s treatment of women, girls, and LGBTQ individuals as “unprecedented, unconscionable, and ongoing persecution.”
“Our action sends a clear signal,” Khan said. “The status quo for women and girls in Afghanistan is not acceptable — not under international law, not under basic human decency.”
UN General Assembly Condemns Taliban’s ‘Systematic Oppression’
In a related development, the United Nations General Assembly on Monday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution condemning the Taliban’s escalating restrictions on women and girls, describing the situation as “grave, worsening, and widespread.”
The resolution, backed by 116 member states, denounced the institutionalized discrimination imposed by the Taliban and called for the immediate reversal of policies that strip Afghan women and girls of fundamental freedoms.
“The Taliban have established a framework of segregation, exclusion, and disrespect for human dignity,” the resolution stated. Since seizing power in 2021, the group has dismantled women’s rights to education, work, and participation in public life.
Although the resolution was non-binding, it marked a strong stance by the international community. Notably, the United States and Israel voted against the text, with 12 countries abstaining. U.S. delegate Jonathan Shrier expressed frustration at continued diplomatic engagement with the Taliban.
“Nearly four years since the Taliban took over, we are still having the same conversations with the same so-called officials, without any meaningful progress,” Shrier said. “The United States will no longer enable their heinous behavior.”
Meanwhile, Russia made headlines last week by becoming the first country to officially recognize the Taliban government — a move that drew criticism from Western nations and rights groups alike.
As the ICC moves forward with legal proceedings and international pressure mounts, the Taliban leadership faces unprecedented scrutiny over its treatment of Afghan women — a crisis many say defines the country’s future.
