By 
29-01-2025
Érica Moreira
Women’s Rights Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
On January 23rd, the office of International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan issued a statement affirming that investigators ‘found reasonable grounds to believe that Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani “bear criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds”’ (Le Monde with AFP, 2025).
This marks the first time ICC prosecutors have publicly requested warrants in their investigation into potential war crimes in Afghanistan, an inquiry that began in 2007. The arrest warrants sought by Khan against the Taliban leaders are based on the Taliban authority’s oppressive ruling, particularly against “Afghan girls and women, as well as persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women” (Khan, 2025). These actions have been classified by the United Nations, several human rights organisations and activists as “gender apartheid”.
The prosecution request is set to be reviewed with no fixed deadline but can take, on average, three months.
Sources and further readings :
Le Monde with AFP. (2025, January 23). ICC prosecutor seeks arrest of Taliban leaders over persecution of women. Le Monde. Retrieved 29 January 2025, from https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/01/23/icc-prosecutor-seeks-arrest-of-taliban-leaders-over-persecution-of-women_6737341_4.html
Statement of ICC Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan KC: Applications for arrest warrants in the situation in Afghanistan | International Criminal Court. (2025, January 23). International Criminal Court. Retrieved 29 January 2025, from https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-prosecutor-karim-aa-khan-kc-applications-arrest-warrants-situation-afghanistan
Afghanistan: ICC seeks arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender-based persecution | UN News. (2025, January 23). UN News. Retrieved 29 January 2025, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159366
ICC Prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Taliban leaders is an important step towards justice. (2025, January 24). Amnesty International. Retrieved 29 January 2025, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/01/afghanistan-icc-prosecutors-application-for-arrest-warrants-against-taliban-leaders-is-an-important-step-towards-justice-for-afghan-women-girls-and-lgbtqi-persons/
Prosecution’s Application under Article 58 for a Warrant of Arrest against Haibatullah AKHUNDZADA, ICC-02/17 (International Criminal Court 23 January 2025).
Wright, G., & Holligan, A. (2025, January 23). ICC prosecutor seeks arrest of Taliban leaders for ‘persecuting Afghan girls and women’. BBC News. Retrieved 29 January 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20kn0d7d30o
Comments