Pressemitteilung des Internationalen Strafgerichtshofs, 8.7.2025
The Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) of the International Criminal Court welcomes the announcement today by Pre-Trial Chamber II with respect to the issuance of two warrants of arrest in the Situation in Afghanistan.
On 23 January 2025, the Office submitted two applications for warrants of arrest before the Chamber in relation to the Afghanistan situation.
Today, the Chamber granted these applications, and issued arrest warrants against the Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah AKHUNDZADA, and the Chief Justice of the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan”, Abdul Hakim HAQQANI. Based on evidence presented by the Office, the judges found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have committed – by ordering, inducing or soliciting – the crime against humanity of persecution, under article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, on gender grounds, against girls, women and other persons non-conforming with the Taliban’s policy on gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as “allies of girls and women”.
Under the supervision of Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan, since the 31 October 2022 decision of the Pre-Trial Chamber to re-authorise the resumption of the Office’s investigation, the Afghanistan Unified Team has been investigating alleged crimes committed against Afghan civilians by the Taliban.
The issuance of the first arrest warrants in the Situation in Afghanistan is an important vindication and acknowledgement of the rights of Afghan women and girls. It also recognises the rights and lived experiences of persons whom the Taliban perceived as not conforming with their ideological expectations of gender identity or expression, such as members of the LGBTQI+ community, and persons whom the Taliban perceived as allies of girls and women.
Through the Taliban’s deprivation of fundamental rights to education, privacy and family life, among others, Afghan women and girls were increasingly erased from public life. The decision of the judges of the ICC affirms that their rights are valuable, and that their plight and voices matter.
Following the issuance of these arrest warrants, the Office also reaffirms its commitment to continue to effectively investigate and prosecute gender-based crimes, including gender persecution. The charge of gender persecution recognises the discriminatory intent that underlies gender-based crimes, and aims to seek accountability for such atrocities.
The OTP remains deeply grateful to Afghan victims and witnesses, Afghan and international civil society, and all partners whose invaluable cooperation enabled this development.
The Office will work closely with the Registry as well as with States Parties and non-States Parties in seeking to enforce the arrest warrants.
The investigation in the Situation in Afghanistan continues, focusing on alleged crimes by individual members of the Taliban and the Islamic State – Khorasan Province.
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