(New York) – The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued warrants under seal on July 8, 2025, for two senior Taliban leaders as part of the court’s Afghanistan investigation.
The following quote can be attributed to Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch:
“Senior Taliban leaders are now wanted men for their alleged persecution of women, girls, and gender nonconforming people. The international community should fully back the ICC in its critical work in Afghanistan and globally, including through concerted efforts to enforce the court’s warrants. Arrests take time, but the handover of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to the ICC to face a charge based on alleged extrajudicial killings shows that when justice is supported, victims can have their day in court. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor should continue its investigations and extend the reach of justice to victims of other Taliban abuses, as well as victims of the Islamic State of Khorasan Province forces, former Afghan security forces, and United States personnel. Addressing cycles of violence and impunity in Afghanistan requires providing equal access to justice for victims of all rights abusers.”
For further background, please see: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/23/afghanistan-icc-prosecutor-seeks-gender-persecution-charges
