Persecution of Women and Torture: Why is the ICC Demanding the Arrest of the Taliban?

The International Criminal Court has requested arrest warrants for Taliban leaders Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani for crimes against women, reports NewsBox.

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has filed a motion for the issuance of arrest warrants for leaders of the radical Taliban movement — the supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and the head of the Supreme Court Abdul Hakim Haqqani. The charges relate to crimes against humanity, including the systematic persecution of women and girls.

The prosecutor's statement notes that the Taliban leaders are responsible for repression, murder, torture, sexualized violence, and the complete exclusion of women from public life. Since the Taliban's takeover in 2021, women's rights in Afghanistan have been significantly restricted: they are prohibited from working, receiving education, and participating in social activities.

Afghanistan is a party to the Rome Statute, which grants the ICC jurisdiction in the country. However, since the overthrow of the previous government in 2021, cooperation with the court has ceased. Representatives of the Taliban have not yet commented on Karim Khan's statement.

Previously, the ICC has issued arrest warrants for other political leaders, such as Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite international support, some countries, including the USA, Russia, and China, do not recognize the court's jurisdiction and criticize its activities.