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The Diplomat
22-07-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
The ICC Wants to Arrest Taliban Leaders Over Their Mistreatment of Women. Will It Matter?
The warrants are the first ever on charges of gender persecution. But will they actually improve the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan? Earlier this month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against the Taliban leadership in Afghanistan. The court's Pre-Trial Chamber II cited reasonable grounds for believing Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani were guilty of 'ordering, inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds.' The warrants – the first ever on charges of gender persecution – are being hailed as an 'important vindication and acknowledgement of the rights of Afghan women and girls.' But will they improve the plight of women and girls in Afghanistan, given the Taliban does not recognize the court or its jurisdiction? The signs are not good, with the Taliban denying the allegations and condemning the warrants as a 'clear act of hostility [and an] insult to the beliefs of Muslims around the world.' Strict rules and prohibitions have been imposed on the Afghan people since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021. Women and girls have been singled out for even worse treatment by reason of their gender. According the warrants, the Taliban have 'severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.' Women are banned from public places and girls from attending school once they turn 12. Zahra Nader is the editor-in-chief of newsroom Zan Times, which investigates human rights violations in Afghanistan. She says Afghan women and girls are being silenced, restricted and stripped of their basic human rights. It is this discriminatory system of control of woman and girls in Afghanistan that is at the core of the court's prosecution. The warrants also accuse the Taliban of persecuting 'other persons who don't conform with the Taliban's ideological expectations of gender, gender identity or expression; and on political grounds against persons perceived as 'allies of girls and women.'' This is the first time an international tribunal or court has confirmed crimes against humanity involving LGBTQ+ victims. This marks an important milestone in the protection of sexual minorities under international law. International law clearly spells put the offenses that constitute crimes against humanity. The aim is to protect civilians from serious and widespread attacks on their fundamental rights. Different definitions of crimes against humanity have been included in the statutes of a handful of international tribunals and courts. The definition under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court is the most comprehensive. It includes severe deprivation of personal liberty, murder, enslavement, rape, torture, forced deportation, or apartheid. Specifically, the Taliban leaders are accused under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute, which states: 'Persecution against any identifiable group or collectivity on political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender… or other grounds that are universally recognised as impermissible under international law.' Physical and direct violence is not necessary for persecution on 'gender… grounds' to be established. Systemic and institutionalized forms of harm, which can be the imposition of discriminatory societal norms, are sufficient. Women and girls are often disproportionately affected by Taliban policies and rules. But proving gender-based crimes have occurred is not enough. Discriminatory intent must also be established. The Taliban have been open about their religious beliefs and interpretations, suggesting a clear intention to persecute on the grounds of gender. As with other cases, the court relies on the cooperation of states to execute and surrender those accused. The Republic government in Kabul, which was formed after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001, became a party to the Rome Statute in 2003. Afghanistan remains legally obligated to prosecute perpetrators of these crimes – it must accept the ICC's jurisdiction in the matter. The Purple Saturdays Movement, an Afghan women-led protest group, is warning the arrest warrants must be more than just symbolic. Any failure to prosecute would likely result in an escalation of human rights violations, the group said: 'The Taliban has historically responded to international pressure not with reform, but by intensifying such repressive policies.' It is important to note the strict policies and widespread abuses targeting women and girls in Afghanistan are ongoing, despite the intervention by the International Criminal Court. The court's Office of the Prosecutor is stressing its commitment to pursuing 'effective legal pathways' to bring the Taliban leadership to account. The Afghan Women's Movement in Exile wants an independent international judicial committee established to monitor and accelerate the legal process. It is not yet clear if the warrants will actually lead to arrest and prosecution in The Hague. But we know this is possible, with a prime example being the arrest earlier this year of former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte. At the very least, the arrests warrants are a hopeful step toward accountability for the Taliban and justice for the women and girls of Afghanistan. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
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First Post
15-07-2025
- Politics
- First Post
How West is pushing Taliban into China-Russia axis
In a rather curious development, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the Taliban's 'Supreme Leader', or Emir, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Chief Justice of the Taliban, citing grave violations of the rights of Afghan women and girls, as well as those who support them. Not that the Supreme Leader or his compatriots are going to get into a panic over this development. Neither of these two go anywhere, and they have no assets abroad to confiscate. But it matters in other ways. It's driving the Taliban into the arms of other countries who refuse to sit in judgement of the Taliban and who have most recently been known for their support of Pakistan in the run-up to Operation Sindoor. Time to take notice. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Hard Facts First, the details of the arrest warrant. It charges both top leaders with 'inducing or soliciting the crime against humanity of persecution… 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''. Both the Talibanis are from Panjwayi, the heartland of the Taliban, and both are known as jurists on Islamic law. While the Emir himself, reclusive and wedded to extreme Islamic teachings, is well known, Hakim Haqqani (no relation to Sirajuddin Haqqani) is a scholar with the honorific title of 'Sheikh' from the Darul Uloom Haqqani, east of Peshawar, and author of numerous books of learning. He is from the elite Ishaqzai Durrani tribe, which also gives him a political standing. Both are alike in having studied and grown up in Pakistan. Another within this 'elite' group is Acting Minister for Vice and Virtue, Sheikh Mohammad Khalid, whose department is listed in the US Treasury for serious rights abuses. He is also from the same seminary in Peshawar and subsequently taught Islamic studies (tafsir) for 22 years at different madrassas in Pakistan, including the Darul Uloom Arabia, Darul Uloom Ahia-ul Uloom, and Jamia Farooqia in Pakistan. There are more, but the sum of it is that the coterie around the Taliban chief are all hard-line Pakistan products. The trouble is that none of this listing or condemnation is likely to have much effect on these elements, which belong to the Kandahar clique, which has set itself up as a power centre within the larger Taliban. Most importantly, all of these are being courted by a group of other powers with their own interests at stake. Russia Opens Its Doors One country that has come unexpectedly to the fore is Russia, as it formally recognised the Taliban on July 4, after floating the idea for years. Russia has little economic incentive, with bilateral trade remaining a miniscule $300 million odd. But it may be that the loss of Syria and the importance of keeping neighbours on a friendly footing have increased in importance after the trauma of Ukraine. Russian plans for Afghanistan include a pipeline from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India, as well as roads and infrastructure, including a railway to operationalise the International North-South Corridor (INSTC), which it has invited Pakistan to join, in a series of moves that seem to be aimed at drawing Pakistan into the Russia-China fold. However, the funds for such large plans are likely to prove difficult. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD China as a Doorstop China may well step in for this. Beijing not only 'welcomed' the Russian move to recognise the Taliban—even while it accepted an 'ambassador' from the Taliban last year and sent its own envoy in September 2023—but has also backed the building of infrastructure in Afghanistan recently together with Russia and Uzbekistan. Earlier, Beijing had linked its recognition of the Taliban to its resumption of good ties with Pakistan, which annoys Kabul, as both Beijing and Rawalpindi insist on calling any connectivity as part of the 'China Pakistan Economic Corridor' rather than the much larger Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Afghanistan has signed on to the BRI and given China three blocks for oil exploration, with Kabul due to get royalties and a $10 billion lithium and other mineral extraction contract. Beijing has, in turn, promised another Salang tunnel, which connects Afghanistan to Central Asia, and is due to reopen the Aynak copper mine project. China is meanwhile awarding scholarships to Afghan students, including women, with a total of above a thousand studying there at any given time, apart from Confucius Institutes training upwards of 800 last year. All of this activity is likely to increase as Afghanistan stabilises. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Azerbaijan and Turkey into the Breach Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Baradar was recently in Baku, with requests to open up its ports and railways to exports from and through Afghanistan. Azerbaijani officials expressed their willingness to facilitate the export of Afghan industrial, agricultural, and mineral goods to Turkey and Europe, as well as to Russia via Iran's rail network. Such connectivity is being pushed by Turkey, which has long-standing good relations with Kabul. That has improved steadily under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with the country as its top export partner. Connectivity projects also involved Pakistan, like the TAP-500 electricity transmission project from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan's provinces of Herat, Farah, Helmand, and Kandahar and further electricity exported to Pakistan, generating considerable annual transit revenue for Afghanistan. The most recent meeting of the working group was early this year. In sum, there is a strong effort to 'integrate' these countries, with China probably the driving force. Russia is going with the flow and most recently annoyed Delhi by supporting President Donald Trump's reiteration of his role in ending the conflict between India and Pakistan. Post Pahalgam, Kabul's robust support led to India's Foreign Secretary speaking to his counterpart, Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, just days after a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs visited Kabul with the promise of restarting developmental aid. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This is something of a watershed in recent India-Afghanistan relations. India also abstained from a recent UN resolution condemning the Taliban, noting realistically that such moves did nothing to improve the lives of Afghans. All this is to the good. But Delhi has to move fast. It must deliver quickly on its reputation as a genuine provider of 'aid without strings'. Immediate initiatives could tackle the terrible lack of drinking water in most parts of Afghanistan, while commercial assistance could include the provision of cold storage facilities for Afghan farmers. Most importantly, it has to hasten to deliver visas to students to study here, in Indian universities. The chequerboard of international relations is changing fast, and India's bureaucracy and decision-making have to match this almost disconcerting speed of hostile forces. Time to think of a diplomatic version of Operation Sindoor. The author is Director (R&A) at the Centre for Land Warfare Studies. She tweets @kartha_tara. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Egypt Independent
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders, accusing them of persecuting women
CNN — The International Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two top Taliban leaders, accusing them of persecuting girls and women in Afghanistan. The pair are suspected of 'ordering, inducing or soliciting' the persecution of girls, women and others who don't conform with the Taliban's policy on gender, the ICC said in a statement. Haibatullah Akhundzada, supreme leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, chief justice of the hardline Islamist group, are 'criminally responsible' for carrying out persecution on gender-based grounds since 'at least' August 15 2021, the ICC's chief prosecutor said back in January. The Taliban called the arrest warrants 'nonsense,' writing in a statement that it does not recognize the ICC. Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women's voices in public. Girls have been barred from education after sixth grade. Women must veil their bodies and wear a face covering at all times in public, and have also been forbidden to look at men they are not related to. 'While the Taliban have imposed certain rules and prohibitions on the population as a whole, they have specifically targeted girls and women by reason of their gender, depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms,' the ICC said on Tuesday. 'Specifically, the Taliban severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion,' it continued. Other people, including 'allies of girls and women' and those with sexualities or gender identities viewed as 'inconsistent with the Taliban's policy on gender,' were also targeted by the Taliban, the ICC said. The Taliban said in its Tuesday statement that the court demonstrated 'enmity and hatred for the pure religion of Islam' by labelling its interpretation of Sharia law a crime against humanity. The issuing of the arrest warrants came a day after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, in which it expressed 'serious concern about the grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression of all women and girls in Afghanistan,' and called for the Taliban to 'swiftly reverse these policies.' Lisa Davis, the ICC's Special Adviser on Gender and Other Discriminatory Crimes, said in a post on social media that this is 'the first time in history' that an international tribunal has confirmed LGBTQ people to be 'victims of crimes against humanity, namely gender persecution.' Rights groups commended the move. Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard called it 'a crucial step to hold accountable all those allegedly responsible for the gender-based deprivation of fundamental rights to education, to free movement and free expression, to private and family life, to free assembly, and to physical integrity and autonomy.' Liz Evenson, the international justice director of Human Rights Watch, said that the arrest warrants could 'provide victims and their families with an essential pathway to justice.' This story has been updated with developments.
Scoop
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Afghanistan: UN Experts Welcome Arrest Warrants For Senior Taliban Leaders
GENEVA (11 July 2025) – Human rights experts* today welcomed the announcement by the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants against two senior Taliban leaders - Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani - due to their alleged responsibility for the crime against humanity of persecution on gender and political grounds. 'These arrest warrants mark a critical step forward for justice for the people of Afghanistan, especially women and girls, who, for nearly four years, have borne the brunt of the Taliban's institutionalised system of gender discrimination, oppression, domination, and persecution,' the experts said. 'It sends an important message that impunity will not last forever. To the victims and survivors, this action is a powerful affirmation that the international community sees, hears, and believes them. Their brave calls for action are at last being answered.' The experts reminded States Parties to the Rome Statute of their obligation to help bring the wanted men to justice, and called for increased political, diplomatic, and financial support for the Court and its ongoing investigations. 'The ICC is a key pillar in a broader system of accountability and plays a crucial role in ensuring accountability for the most serious international crimes,' they said. 'We call on all States and in particular ICC Member States, to safeguard and support the Court and its independence and meet their obligations under the Rome Statute.' The experts called for strengthened and sustained support for other, complementary initiatives to ensure accountability for gross human rights violations and international crimes in the country, as well as greater support for the people of Afghanistan. They particularly stressed the importance of a principled and coordinated strategy rooted in human rights. 'These arrest warrants must also send a clear message to Member States that there should be no normalisation of a regime which so explicitly denies the fundamental rights and dignity of more than half of the country's population,' the experts said. 'To those who seek to lend legitimacy to the Taliban we make it clear: you stand on the wrong side of history.' *The experts: Richard Bennett, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan; Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers; Laura Nyirinkindi (Chair), Claudia Flores (Vice-Chair), Dorothy Estrada Tanck, Ivana Krstić, and Haina Lu, Working group on discrimination against women and girls; Nahla Haidar, Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women; Graeme Reid, Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; Reem Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences; Bernard Duhaime, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence Special Rapporteurs/Independent Experts/Working Groups are independent human rights experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Together, these experts are referred to as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. While the UN Human Rights office acts as the secretariat for Special Procedures, the experts serve in their individual capacity and are independent fromany government or organization, including OHCHR and the UN. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the UN or OHCHR.
News18
11-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
‘Women, LGBTQI+ Deprived Of Basic Rights': ICC's Arrest Warrants Against 2 Taliban Leaders Explained
Taliban's oppression of women, LGBTQI+: ICC arrest warrants recognise rights of Afghan women and those Taliban sees as not conforming with gender identity such as LGBTQI+ The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two top Taliban leaders, accusing them of persecuting girls and women in Afghanistan. The duo is suspected of 'ordering, inducing or soliciting" the persecution of girls, women and others who don't conform with the Taliban's policy on gender, the ICC said in a statement. Haibatullah Akhundzada, supreme leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, chief justice of the hardline Islamist group, are 'criminally responsible" for carrying out persecution on gender-based grounds since 'at least" August 15, 2021, the ICC's chief prosecutor said back in January. The Taliban called the arrest warrants 'nonsense", writing in a statement that it does not recognise the ICC. Arrest warrants against the Taliban for gender crimes against Afghan women, girls and LGBTQI+ persons are confirmed. This is the first time in history an international tribunal has confirmed LGBTQI+ victims of crimes against humanity, namely gender persecution.…— Lisa Davis (@lisadavisnyc) July 8, 2025 What is the ICC? The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent international tribunal based in The Hague, Netherlands, established to investigate and prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes under international law. The ICC prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crime of aggression. What did the ICC say on Taliban's gender oppression? 'While the Taliban have imposed certain rules and prohibitions on the population as a whole, they have specifically targeted girls and women by reason of their gender, depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms," the ICC said on Tuesday. 'Specifically, the Taliban severely deprived, through decrees and edicts, girls and women of the rights to education, privacy and family life and the freedoms of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion," it continued. Other people, including 'allies of girls and women" and those with sexualities or gender identities viewed as 'inconsistent with the Taliban's policy on gender", were also targeted by the Taliban, the ICC said. The Taliban said in its Tuesday statement that the court demonstrated 'enmity and hatred for the pure religion of Islam" by labelling its interpretation of Sharia law a crime against humanity. Arrest warrants matter because…: What ICC says The ICC, in its statement, said 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." 'Pathway To Justice': How did human rights groups react? The issuing of the arrest warrants came a day after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the situation in Afghanistan, in which it expressed 'serious concern about the grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression of all women and girls in Afghanistan," and called for the Taliban to 'swiftly reverse these policies". Lisa Davis, the ICC's Special Adviser on Gender and Other Discriminatory Crimes, said in a post on social media that this is 'the first time in history" that an international tribunal has confirmed LGBTQ people to be 'victims of crimes against humanity, namely gender persecution." Rights groups commended the move. Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard called it 'a crucial step to hold accountable all those allegedly responsible for the gender-based deprivation of fundamental rights to education, to free movement and free expression, to private and family life, to free assembly, and to physical integrity and autonomy". Liz Evenson, the international justice director of Human Rights Watch, said that the arrest warrants could 'provide victims and their families with an essential pathway to justice". Are ICC's decisions binding on Afghanistan? Afghanistan is a State Party to the Rome Statute, so the ICC jurisdiction applies to crimes committed on Afghan territory, or by Afghan nationals, even if the crime occurs elsewhere In 2020–21, the ICC's Pre-Trial Chamber authorized a full investigation into Afghanistan-related war crimes. As a state party, Afghanistan is legally obligated to cooperate with the ICC, enforce arrest warrants and hand over suspects named in ICC indictments Will Taliban accept ICC warrants? The Taliban-led regime is not recognized by most of the world as Afghanistan's legitimate government. It is highly unlikely to cooperate with ICC processes. While ICC warrants remain binding under international law, they are unlikely to be enforced on the ground, just like the Taliban said in the statement. About the Author Manjiri Joshi At the news desk for 17 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing special copies ...Read More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Afghan Taliban news18 specials taliban afghanistan taliban womens education view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 11, 2025, 13:21 IST News explainers 'Women, LGBTQI+ Deprived Of Basic Rights': ICC's Arrest Warrants Against 2 Taliban Leaders Explained Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
