International Criminal Court issues arrest warrants against Taliban leaders and ministers

The International Criminal Court has published two arrest warrants against leading members of the Taliban ruling Afghanistan. In addition to Taliban leader Haibatullah Achundsada and chief judge Abdul Hakim Hakkani, Education Minister Habibullah Agha and Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadim were also accused of crimes against humanity because of the disenfranchisement of women and girls, the court in The Hague said.

Since the Taliban came to power again on August 15, 2021, women and girls have been persecuted because of their gender and have been denied basic rights and freedoms, the judges explained their decision. The court had already informed about the arrest warrants against Taliban leader Achundsada and the chief judge Hakkani in July last year. The arrest warrants against the ministers were issued in September 2025 - they were not yet publicly known.

According to the judges, the Taliban's policies lead to serious violations of the basic rights and freedoms of the civilian population - through murder, imprisonment, torture and rape. Women and girls in particular are denied the right to education, privacy and family life as well as freedom of movement, expression and religion. They were not allowed to control their bodies, it said.

This article will continue to be updated.