Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Taliban Rejects ICC Jurisdiction After Warrants Details Released
The International Criminal Court, or ICC, has issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders.
The leaders are Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
The court says they are suspected of persecuting women, girls, and others because of gender.
It says Taliban rules also restricted education, movement, and expression.
The judges said their findings included serious alleged abuses such as imprisonment and torture.
The Taliban government says it does not accept the court’s authority.
Its spokesman said the government follows Islamic Sharia and its courts instead.
The ICC released more details about the warrants on Monday, after keeping them sealed.
UN figures cited in the report say half of Afghan women now leave home only once or twice a month.
The Taliban government said it does not recognize the International Criminal Court or its jurisdiction.
The ICC named supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani as suspects in arrest warrants announced in July 2025.
The court alleges the two leaders committed crimes against humanity by persecuting people on gender grounds.
Judges said Taliban policies involved severe rights violations, including murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and enforced disappearance.
The ICC said policies targeted women and girls; cited UN figures say half of Afghan women leave home only once or twice a month.
- Who
- The Taliban government, and ICC suspects Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
- What
- The Taliban rejected the ICC’s authority after it released further details about arrest warrants against Akhundzada and Haqqani.
- When
- Monday; the ICC had announced the warrants in July 2025.
- Where
- Afghanistan; the warrants were issued by the International Criminal Court.
- Why
- The Taliban said it does not recognize the court or its jurisdiction; the ICC says the suspects are accused of gender-based persecution and related crimes against humanity.
International Criminal Court
Taliban government
Court jurisdiction
International Criminal Court
The ICC issued warrants and released findings concerning the two Taliban leaders as suspects in alleged crimes against humanity.
Taliban government
The Taliban government says it does not recognize the ICC or its jurisdiction.
Taliban policies and alleged abuses
International Criminal Court
ICC judges said Taliban policies resulted in severe rights violations and specifically targeted women and girls.
Taliban government
Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected the court’s authority and defended the leaders, saying the government is bound by Islamic Sharia and its courts.
- ICC suspects
- Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani
- Warrant announcement
- July 2025
- Details released
- Monday
- Alleged crime
- Crimes against humanity, including persecution on gender grounds
- Alleged abuses cited by judges
- Murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and enforced disappearance
- Restrictions cited
- Education, freedom of expression and freedom of movement
- UN figure cited
- Half of Afghan women leave home only once or twice a month