Afghanistan: ICC Prosecutor Seeks Justice for Gender Persecution by Taliban Leaders

Afghanistan: ICC Prosecutor Seeks Justice for Gender Persecution by Taliban Leaders

The International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor has applied for arrest warrants against Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani for crimes against humanity, specifically gender persecution. This marks a significant step toward justice for Afghan women, girls, and LGBTQI individuals. Amnesty International’s Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, emphasized that this move offers hope to victims of systematic oppression, including denial of education, free movement, and personal autonomy.

The charges reflect only a fraction of the widespread abuses in Afghanistan over the past two years. Amnesty International urges the ICC to expand its investigation to include crimes like extrajudicial killings, torture, and attacks on ethnic and religious minorities, such as the Hazara community. Additionally, they call for revisiting the 2021 decision to deprioritize investigations into war crimes by U.S. and international forces, ensuring justice for all victims.

The ICC Prosecutor’s action underscores the urgent need for accountability and the recognition of gender apartheid as a crime under international law. Further investigations are ongoing, signaling the possibility of additional charges.

Amnesty International has extensively documented the Taliban’s institutionalized gender-based oppression in reports like The Taliban’s War on Women and Death in Slow Motion. The Taliban’s discriminatory policies continue to strip women and girls of their rights across all aspects of life.