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

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has requested arrest warrants for Taliban leaders, including supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, for their role in the ongoing persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan, which he claims constitutes a crime against humanity. Legal experts emphasize that this is the first case focused specifically on gender-based crimes within the ICC framework.

Since regaining power in 2021, the Taliban has enacted over 80 decrees curtailing women's rights, including bans on secondary education and various forms of employment. Recently, a directive was issued to cover windows in spaces used by women to prevent visibility from unrelated men, reflecting the group's stringent control over women's daily lives.

Activists, who have felt neglected by the international community amidst Taliban oppression, view this development as a significant step towards accountability. Shukria Barakzai, a former Afghan parliament member, hailed the announcement as a powerful message against impunity for violations of women's rights. Although immediate arrests are unlikely due to the leaders' restricted movements, the warrant requests serve to highlight the gravity of these abuses.

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