ICC issues detention warrants for Taliban chiefs
(MENAFN) The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban figures, marking a rare move against Afghanistan’s current leadership. The warrants target Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the chief justice of Afghanistan under the current regime.
Prosecutors allege that both officials are responsible for serious human rights violations stemming from the Taliban’s enforcement of strict gender policies since regaining power in 2021. These alleged abuses include murder, torture, rape, imprisonment, and forced disappearances. The court noted that further details of the case remain sealed to protect victims and preserve the integrity of the proceedings.
While Afghanistan ratified the ICC’s founding treaty—the Rome Statute—in 2003, the Taliban government formally rejected the court’s jurisdiction earlier this year. The ICC, which has no enforcement arm of its own, depends on member states to carry out arrests, which may complicate any attempts to detain the accused.
The move is already drawing renewed scrutiny over the ICC’s perceived bias. Critics argue the court disproportionately targets individuals from African and Asian countries while avoiding prosecution of Western officials. In 2023, the ICC issued a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin over child deportation allegations—claims Moscow strongly denied, calling them exaggerated and politically motivated.
The U.S., which is not a party to the ICC, has historically resisted the court’s authority, even sanctioning its officials over probes into alleged American war crimes in Afghanistan. Just last month, Washington sanctioned four ICC judges involved in investigations targeting both U.S. troops and Israeli leaders.
Despite its lack of formal recognition from much of the West, the Taliban recently received diplomatic acknowledgment from Russia, which accepted the group's ambassador and praised its efforts in fighting terrorism.
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