**I.C.C. Takes Action Against Taliban Leadership for Gender-Based Crimes**

Karim Khan labels the Taliban's governance as systematic persecution against women and LGBTQI+ individuals.

The International Criminal Court (I.C.C.) has requested arrest warrants for the Taliban's supreme leader and chief justice due to their alleged involvement in severe crimes against humanity, particularly targeting women and girls. I.C.C. chief prosecutor Karim Khan announced this move on Thursday, asserting that the Taliban’s leader, Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, and chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani, have overseen operations that constitute gender-based persecution.

Khan's statement emphasizes the extraordinary and continued repression of Afghan women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals under Taliban rule, highlighting that since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, the regime has exacerbated restrictions through a series of stringent laws. These include preventing women from participating in public life and barring them from the workforce, with the closure of beauty salons in 2023 cited as a critical blow to women's social spaces.

The I.C.C. prosecutor categorized these actions as a “crime against humanity,” noting the systematic exclusion of women from education and public venues. Afghanistan stands unique as the only nation denying girls access to high school and women to university education, drawing international condemnation.

The harsh reality for many Afghan women has led to significant emigration as they seek to escape what has been denounced as a form of “gender apartheid,” a term used by a United Nations rapporteur to characterize the dire environment under Taliban governance. As the world watches, the I.C.C.'s action brings to light the urgent need for accountability and justice in Afghanistan.