Pakistan, July 9 -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for top Taliban leaders, including Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani. The court stated that there are strong grounds to believe they committed crimes against humanity by persecuting women and girls in Afghanistan based on gender. These violations occurred between August 15, 2021, when the Taliban regained power, and January 20, 2025.

According to ICC judges, the Taliban's rules have specifically targeted women by denying them basic human rights. Girls and women have been stripped of their rights to education, movement, freedom of speech, and religious practice. The court also noted that people with certain gende...