Karim Khan's statement highlights the Taliban's systemic violence and oppression since regaining power in August 2021.
**International Criminal Court Moves to Arrest Taliban Leaders over Gender Persecution**
**International Criminal Court Moves to Arrest Taliban Leaders over Gender Persecution**
ICC prosecutor intends to hold Taliban leadership accountable for widespread abuse against women and girls in Afghanistan.
The top prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has announced plans to seek arrest warrants for key Taliban leaders due to their alleged role in the ongoing persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan. Khan has expressed reasonable grounds to suspect that both Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani bear criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity primarily on gender-related issues.
The ICC will now deliberate on whether to grant these arrest warrants. The court, which is tasked with addressing severe international crimes like genocide and war crimes, intervenes when local institutions are either unable or unwilling to enforce justice. In his statement, Khan outlined that the Taliban leaders are responsible for a series of crimes directed at Afghan women, including persecution of those who oppose the regime or do not adhere to its strict definitions of gender identity.
Since the Taliban's return to power on August 15, 2021, the regime has reportedly engaged in brutal suppression of dissent, characterized by acts such as murder, imprisonment, and various forms of sexual violence. The ICC's prosecutor indicated that this culture of violence persists today throughout Afghanistan.
Akhundzada has led the Taliban since 2016, while Haqqani, now chief justice, has a history of negotiating with foreign powers, including the United States. Notably, the Taliban government has yet to officially respond to the ICC's latest statement.
Since retaking Afghanistan, the Taliban has enacted “morality laws” that have stripped women of numerous rights. Afghanistan remains the only nation globally that prohibits women and girls from accessing secondary and higher education. About 1.5 million girls have been denied schooling, despite promises of future access contingent on the resolution of undefined issues.
In recent months, the Taliban has closed beauty salons, restricted women's access to public parks and gyms, and imposed a strict dress code mandating full coverage. Women are also barred from travel without male supervision, and regulations prevent them from engaging in eye contact with unrelated men. Notably, a recent decree banned women from training as midwives or nurses, effectively eliminating their remaining opportunities for further education and professional development in Afghanistan.
The ICC will now deliberate on whether to grant these arrest warrants. The court, which is tasked with addressing severe international crimes like genocide and war crimes, intervenes when local institutions are either unable or unwilling to enforce justice. In his statement, Khan outlined that the Taliban leaders are responsible for a series of crimes directed at Afghan women, including persecution of those who oppose the regime or do not adhere to its strict definitions of gender identity.
Since the Taliban's return to power on August 15, 2021, the regime has reportedly engaged in brutal suppression of dissent, characterized by acts such as murder, imprisonment, and various forms of sexual violence. The ICC's prosecutor indicated that this culture of violence persists today throughout Afghanistan.
Akhundzada has led the Taliban since 2016, while Haqqani, now chief justice, has a history of negotiating with foreign powers, including the United States. Notably, the Taliban government has yet to officially respond to the ICC's latest statement.
Since retaking Afghanistan, the Taliban has enacted “morality laws” that have stripped women of numerous rights. Afghanistan remains the only nation globally that prohibits women and girls from accessing secondary and higher education. About 1.5 million girls have been denied schooling, despite promises of future access contingent on the resolution of undefined issues.
In recent months, the Taliban has closed beauty salons, restricted women's access to public parks and gyms, and imposed a strict dress code mandating full coverage. Women are also barred from travel without male supervision, and regulations prevent them from engaging in eye contact with unrelated men. Notably, a recent decree banned women from training as midwives or nurses, effectively eliminating their remaining opportunities for further education and professional development in Afghanistan.
