On Tuesday, July 8, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, including the group’s supreme spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada. The court accuses them of crimes against humanity for persecuting women and girls based on gender. The ICC stated that there is sufficient evidence to believe Akhundzada and Taliban chief justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani engaged in systematic discrimination against women, girls, and others who do not conform to the Taliban’s strict gender norms and policies.

Since reclaiming power in 2021, the Taliban have imposed severe restrictions on women’s rights, curbing their access to education, employment, and basic freedoms. The Taliban dismissed the ICC warrants, calling them an attack on Islam. Government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid declared that the Taliban does not recognize the authority of the international court.

This marks the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants based on gender persecution. The court emphasized that while the Taliban have enforced rules broadly, their actions have disproportionately targeted women and girls, stripping them of basic human rights. Details of the specific incidents leading to the charges remain confidential to protect victims and witnesses.

Human rights organizations praised the ICC’s move and urged global support for the court’s work. Liz Evenson of Human Rights Watch called on the international community to stand firmly behind the ICC, especially regarding its investigations in Afghanistan. The ICC has faced criticism from non-member countries such as the United States, Russia, and Israel. In recent years, it has issued warrants for figures like Russian President Vladimir Putin over the deportation of Ukrainian children and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza—both countries have rejected the court’s authority.

Just last month, the U.S. imposed sanctions on four ICC judges, two of whom were involved in allowing a probe into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan, including those committed by American forces. The ICC denounced the sanctions as an attack on its independence and mission to deliver justice to victims worldwide.