Taliban Reject ICC's Effort to Arrest Top Officials Over Persecution of Afghan Women and Girls

Taliban Reject ICC's Attempt to Arrest Top Officials for Persecuting Afghan Women and Girls

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban strongly rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) move to seek arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials, including their leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, over allegations of persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan. The Taliban dismissed the charges as baseless and accused the court of acting improperly.

On Thursday, ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he had requested arrest warrants for the two Taliban officials, accusing them of violating international law with policies that severely restrict the rights of Afghan women and girls.

Since retaking control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban have implemented strict policies barring women from employment, most public spaces, and education beyond the sixth grade.

In response, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the ICC’s request, calling the accusations unfounded and emphasizing that the country was currently at peace. The ministry also accused the court of turning a blind eye to the crimes committed by foreign forces and their allies over the decades of war. "This misbehavior further damages the credibility of the ICC and renders its status at the international level meaningless," the statement read. The Taliban also warned the court against imposing its own interpretation of human rights while disregarding the religious and national values of Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Afghan women’s rights groups expressed support for the ICC's actions. The Afghan Women’s Movement for Justice and Awareness hailed the court’s request as a “great historical achievement” and a sign of progress for Afghan women. “This is a symbol of the strength and will of Afghan women, and we believe it will mark a new chapter of accountability and justice in the country,” the group stated.

Mohammad Halim Fidai, a former governor in the previous Afghan administration, warned that the Taliban might use the ICC’s decision to further their propaganda. Fidai, who now lives outside Afghanistan, suggested that the Taliban could present the court’s actions as evidence of their unwavering faith and resistance to global powers. "They may frame it as proof that their beliefs are so powerful that they’ve provoked the opposition of the world," he said on social media.

In a separate development, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed deep concern over the continued ban on education for Afghan girls. Roza Otunbayeva, head of UNAMA, called it a “tragedy and travesty” that Afghan girls remain deprived of their right to education. "It has been 1,225 days — soon to be four years — since authorities imposed a ban preventing girls above the age of 12 from attending school," Otunbayeva said. "Afghanistan is now the only country in the world that explicitly bans women and girls from all levels of education."

The ICC’s call for accountability, the response from the Taliban, and the ongoing education ban have drawn international attention to the severe restrictions faced by women and girls under Taliban rule.