UCM to Issue Arrest Warrant for Taliban Leaders

afghanistan - International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor announces arrest warrant for senior Taliban leaders due to persecution of women and girls.

UCM to Issue Arrest Warrant for Taliban Leaders

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan stated that they will issue arrest warrants for senior leaders of the Taliban government in Afghanistan for their involvement in persecution of women and girls. Khan mentioned that there are reasonable grounds to believe that Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani are responsible for gender-based crimes against humanity. The judges at ICC will now decide whether to issue the arrest warrant or not.

Sharia Not a Justification

According to the prosecution, Akhundzada and Haqqani have been responsible for a systematic policy of persecution against women and girls nationwide in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power on August 15, 2021. The evidence presented to the court includes witness testimonies, official decrees, forensic reports, and audio-visual materials. ICC emphasized that the Taliban regime cannot justify the violation of fundamental human rights by invoking 'Sharia law'. The Afghan government, on the other hand, argued that the decision is politically motivated, biased, and lacks legal basis. Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world where access to secondary and higher education for women and girls is restricted.