Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Thursday that they had applied for arrest warrants for Afghan Taliban leaders, including Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada.
The charges are crimes against humanity for widespread discrimination against women and girls.
Why was a warrant required?
Prosecutor Karim Khan said there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani bear “criminal responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on the basis of gender.”
Khan said Afghan women and girls, as well as the LGBTQ+ community, face “unprecedented and unconscionable continued persecution by the Taliban.”
“Our actions demonstrate that the status quo for women and girls in Afghanistan is unacceptable,” Khan added.
After returning to power in August 2021, Taliban authorities promised looser rule than during their first government from 1996 to 2001.
However, Akhundzada soon issued a decree banning women from public life, in line with his interpretation of Islamic law.
The restrictions on women and girls have been labeled “gender apartheid” by the United Nations.
Further warrant requests are possible.
Khan warned that he would soon seek warrant applications against other Taliban officials.
He also pointed out that in addition to persecution, other crimes against humanity were also being committed.
“Any perceived resistance or opposition to the Taliban has been brutally suppressed through crimes including murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, other forms of sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and other acts of inhumanity,” he said. It is still being suppressed.”
Judges at the Hague-based court will now have to decide on Mr Khan’s application before deciding whether to issue a warrant, in a process that could take weeks or even months. be.
rc/nm (AFP, Reuters)
