ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender persecution

On July 8, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague issued arrest warrants for two prominent Taliban figures: Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Supreme Leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Chief Justice. The ICC's decision was rooted in the systemic abuse and persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban regained power on August 15, 2021. Legal experts noted that these warrants relate to serious violations of fundamental human rights, particularly focusing on gender persecution, categorizing these actions as crimes against humanity under international law. The issuance of these warrants comes as a response to extensive evidence indicating the Taliban's imposition of severe restrictions on women’s lives, notably banning them from public spaces and educational institutions beyond the sixth grade. Reports from various human rights organizations have detailed numerous incidents of violence, discrimination, and repression faced by women and girls, with the ICC highlighting the Taliban's orders that endanger these groups due to their gender and gender identity, leading to a situation described as akin to gender apartheid. International responses to the ICC's actions have been polarized. Within Afghanistan, the Taliban has dismissed the court's efforts as illegitimate, arguing that they do not recognize the authority of the ICC and labeling its actions as hostile to Islam. Conversely, numerous human rights advocates around the world have hailed the warrants as a pivotal step towards accountability for the egregious violations happening in Afghanistan and have urged the international community to support the ICC’s work. The global conversation surrounding these arrest warrants emphasizes a call for justice for Afghan women, whose rights have been deeply curtailed. Despite the challenges faced by the ICC—including the Taliban's outright rejection of its legitimacy—experts believe that increasing global awareness about the situation in Afghanistan could contribute to pressure on the Taliban regime. The ICC's findings not only challenge the legal standing of the Taliban’s actions but also represent an international recognition of women's rights as non-negotiable human rights, asserting that there are severe repercussions for violations of these basic rights in any part of the world.