According to the ICC’s statement released Tuesday, both leaders are charged with crimes against humanity, including gender-based persecution and political repression. The court found that the Taliban regime had, through decrees and edicts, "severely deprived" women and girls of basic rights—such as education, family life, and freedom of movement, expression, and religion.

Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who initiated the warrant request in January, underscored that the Taliban's treatment of women and LGBTQI+ individuals amounted to “unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution.” The ICC said individuals perceived as "allies of girls and women" or as gender non-conforming were also targeted under the regime’s policies.

Global Response And Enforcement Challenges

Human Rights Watch welcomed the move. Liz Evenson, the organisation’s international justice director, stated: “Senior Taliban leaders are now wanted men... The international community should fully back the ICC in its critical work in Afghanistan and globally.”

However, enforcement remains a challenge. Afghanistan is not a party to the Rome Statute, and the Taliban do not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction. Nonetheless, the warrants are seen as a major step in applying legal pressure and documenting accountability for ongoing repression under the Taliban government.