The International Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders in Afghanistan in connection with the persecution of women, which has been deemed a crime against humanity, Reuters reported.

International Criminal Court judges said there were “reasonable grounds” to suspect Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani "of committing ... crime against humanity in the form of persecution ... on the basis of gender." 

“While the Taliban imposed certain rules and prohibitions on the general population, they specifically persecuted girls and women on the basis of their gender, depriving them of their basic rights and freedoms,” the court said in its judgment.

The court said the alleged crimes were committed between August 15, 2021, when the Taliban seized power, and continued until at least January 20, 2025.

The ICC judges said the Taliban had “seriously deprived” girls and women of their rights to education, private and family life, as well as freedom of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.

“In addition, others were targeted because certain expressions of sexuality and/or gender identity were deemed incompatible with the Taliban's policy on gender,” the ICC statement emphasized.