Human Rights Watch (HRW) has strongly welcomed the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) decision to issue arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials, calling it a major step toward ending the culture of impunity in Afghanistan. The ICC move is linked to alleged human rights abuses committed by the Taliban, particularly targeting women, girls, and minorities since their return to power in August 2021.
Liz Evenson, HRW’s Director for International Justice, said the warrants send a powerful message that “repressive actions will not go unpunished.” She urged the international community to fully support the ICC in its ongoing work in Afghanistan and beyond. “The world must stand behind efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and support justice for victims,” she stated.
HRW stressed that the ICC’s action comes at a crucial time, as the Taliban continue to impose harsh restrictions that amount to what the group calls “gender apartheid.” Women and girls in Afghanistan have been banned from attending schools and universities, barred from most jobs, and excluded from public life. In September 2023, HRW documented that the Taliban’s treatment of women could amount to crimes against humanity due to the scale and systematic nature of the abuses.
The organization has recorded over 100 decrees issued by the Taliban that severely limit the rights of women and girls, including restrictions on freedom of movement, expression, and assembly. Arbitrary arrests, torture, and disappearances of women activists have also been reported.
Evenson also called on the ICC to expand its investigations to include crimes by other actors, such as ISIS-K, former Afghan security forces, and U.S. military personnel, to ensure comprehensive justice for all victims of the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan.
HRW believes that meaningful accountability is essential to break Afghanistan’s cycle of violence and repression.
