The ICC has published arrest warrants for four high-ranking Taliban officials

The court accuses them of persecuting women, girls, and individuals who do not recognize the group’s policies.

On October 5 of this year, the ICC released arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, head of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan Abdul Hakim Haqqani, Minister of Education Habibullah Agha, and Minister of Higher Education Ned Mohammad Nadim.

According to the ICC, the arrest warrants were issued for the period from 2025 to October 2026, but the warrants themselves remained classified.

ICC prosecutors believe there is sufficient grounds for criminal prosecution of these four high-ranking officials: they are persecuting women and children based on gender, as well as individuals who disagree with the Taliban’s policies in Afghanistan.

According to the International Criminal Court, the evidence includes the period from the Taliban’s rise to power in August 2021 until June 2025. The case includes further restrictions on the rights of women and children to education, work, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, and personal and family life.

The ICC also notes that the cases include the persecution of individuals based on gender and gender identity. The court deemed these actions crimes against humanity.

However, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the ICC’s decision, stating that the Taliban government does not recognize the International Criminal Court. Mujahid wrote on his X page that the Taliban “pays no attention” to the ICC’s arrest warrant for Taliban leaders.

According to him, the leaders of the “Taliban” have not committed anything for which they should be detained or punished by an international court.

On the other hand, a number of activists and prominent political figures in Afghanistan have expressed support for the ICC’s warrant, considering it an important step towards holding the Taliban government accountable.

The ICC does not have its own enforcement mechanisms for arrest warrants. For this reason, the detention of those wanted must be carried out in cooperation with the countries into which these individuals enter.

The situation in Afghanistan has been under review by the ICC since 2022. The new arrest warrants have been issued against the backdrop of the Taliban continuing to impose restrictions on the rights and freedoms of women and girls in Afghanistan.