The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban.

Following the submission of two applications for arrest on 23rd January 2025 by the ICC, the Pre-Trial Chamber II has issued both warrants, on 8th July 2025.

Based on evidence by the ICC, the judges found there were reasonable grounds to believe that the Taliban has committed a crime against humanity of persecution under article 7(1)(h) of the Roman Statute, on grounds of gender, against women and girls.

As well as ‘on political grounds against persons perceived as allies of girls and women,’ said the ICC.

Pre-Trial Chamber II considered that the Taliban have implemented a governmental policy that ‘resulted in severe violations of fundamental rights’, in connection with ‘conducts of murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, and enforced appearance,’ it said.

Since the Taliban regained power on 15th August 2021, they have severely deprived females of the right to education, privacy, freedom of movement, expression, thought, and religion.

The Chamber has decided that these warrants will remain under seal at this stage.

‘I hope for the day when I, along with all the girls of my homeland, can pursue our dreams’

Halima’s story

Despite the oppression, women are silently fighting back in Afghanistan, and UN Women has a fundamental role in supporting that fight.

‘This is not only about the rights and futures of Afghan women and girls,’ said Susan Ferguson, Special Representative at UN Women Afghanistan.

‘It’s about what we stand for as a global community. If we allow Afghan women and girls to be silenced, we send a message that the rights of women and girls everywhere are disposable.

‘And that’s an immensely dangerous precedent,’ she said.