ICC Prosecutor Requests Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders Over Women's Rights Violations

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a significant step by requesting arrest warrants for the Taliban's supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani. This move is based on allegations of crimes against humanity resulting from the systematic persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan, a situation that advocates have described as akin to gender apartheid.

Karim Khan, the ICC chief prosecutor, emphasized that the request marks a historic focus on gender-based crimes, highlighting the important role of accountability in addressing these atrocities. Activists have expressed relief at the ICC's acknowledgment of their plight, which they feel had been largely overlooked by the international community since the Taliban regained power in 2021.

Since taking control, the Taliban have issued over 80 decrees restricting women's rights, barring them from work, education, and public spaces. Recent regulations have included a ban on windows in women’s rooms to prevent visibility from men, further illustrating their oppressive measures.

While the likelihood of immediate arrests is slim due to the Taliban leaders' limited travel and the group's defiance towards international pressure, legal experts assert that this move by the ICC sends a crucial message about the criminality of enforced gender repression.

Afghan women's advocates see this step as a vital recognition of their struggle for rights and justice. They urge the ICC not only to pursue actions against the Taliban but also to extend its focus towards broader accountability for ongoing injustices in Afghanistan’s prolonged conflict.

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