In brief
On July 8, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that it has issued arrest warrants for key members of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, citing severe violations of women's rights as constitutive of crimes against humanity. The warrants target Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the country’s chief justice.
The court's ruling highlights the regime's systematic restrictions imposed on women and girls in the country since the Taliban regained control in 2021. It underscored that the Taliban has intentionally marginalized girls and women by depriving them of their fundamental rights. The measures taken by the authorities have effectively erased women’s roles from public life. Women face prohibitions against speaking freely, seeking employment, and accessing public areas, including parks, gyms, and beauty salons. Current laws dictate that women must have a male guardian accompany them for any travel outside of their homes, and they are required to wear coverings that obscure their faces and bodies completely. Schooling for girls is limited to sixth grade, making it virtually impossible for young women to pursue further education in the country, which has drawn widespread condemnation from global human rights advocates.Experts on women's rights have called Afghanistan the most oppressive nation globally for women, with some describing the policies as a form of “gender apartheid.” According to the ICC, these oppressive practices have led to dire consequences, including murder, torture, imprisonment of those who defy the Taliban's restrictions, and related abuses.
