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ICC unseals arrest warrants for four Taliban leaders over gender persecution

The International Criminal Court unsealed arrest warrants on Monday for four senior Taliban officials, accusing them of the crime against humanity of gender persecution. Arrests are considered unlikely because the Taliban control Afghanistan and the court has no police force.

4 outlets · 0L · 3C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: Arab News
Image: France 24
Image: Anadolu Agency

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The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2The International Criminal Court said on Monday 5 October 2026 that it was unsealing arrest warrants for four senior Taliban officials, accusing them of the crime against humanity of persecution on gender grounds against women and girls in Afghanistan since the Taliban took power in 2021. Mixed · 2The four are the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada; the head of Afghanistan's Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani; Education Minister Habibullah Agha; and Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadim (spelt Nadeem by France 24). Mixed · 2The warrants for Akhundzada and Haqqani were authorised in July 2025, and those for Agha and Nadeem were issued on 9 September 2025; the existence of the first two had been revealed earlier, but all remained sealed until Monday.

Right · 1Former ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan had announced in January 2025 that he sought warrants for Akhundzada and Haqqani, saying Afghan women and girls and the LGBTQI+ community faced "unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution". Mixed · 2The court said persecution was directed at girls, women and other people not conforming to Taliban gender policy, and, on political grounds, at people seen as "allies of girls and women"; it said it was carried out in connection with murder, imprisonment, torture, rape and enforced disappearance. Right · 1Judges said the suspects, "acting on behalf of the Taliban", implemented a policy that deprived girls and women of rights including education, privacy and family life, and freedom of movement, expression, thought, conscience and religion.

Centre · 1The court said there are "reasonable grounds to believe" the suspects committed the crimes between the Taliban takeover and at least 20 January 2025. Centre · 1Pre-Trial Chamber II said unsealing, with redactions, would not unduly affect ongoing investigations, could "prevent the commission of further crimes by the suspects", and could promote international cooperation. Right · 1AP said the prospect of arrests is remote, since the Taliban control Afghanistan and the court has no police force; full details of the warrants were not immediately released.

Mixed · 2Both AP and AFP said they had approached the Taliban for comment; no Taliban response is reported. Centre · 1The disclosure came the same day the UN Human Rights Council's 47 member states unanimously urged the Taliban to repeal their "worsening" and "systematic oppression" of women and girls; France 24 said the warrants were likely to increase international pressure on the Taliban. Mixed · 2Under Taliban rule, women are barred from most jobs, most public spaces and education beyond sixth grade, according to AP; France 24 reports girls over 12 are barred from school, universities are men-only, and the ban on women studying medicine has caused hospital staff shortages.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre3 outlets

Framing
France 24 leads on the two education ministers and the education ban, placing the ICC step in the context of a UN Human Rights Council vote and its own AFP reporting on the effects on Afghan women and girls.
Emphasis
Education restrictions, the court's reasoning for unsealing, the 20 January 2025 end date, the UN council's unanimous criticism, and the human toll in Afghanistan.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention that arrests are unlikely, nor Karim Khan's earlier application, nor the LGBTQI+ and political-grounds elements of the charges.
Charged language
“worsening”“systematic oppression”
For example
“The ICC warrants were likely to increase international pressure on the Taliban government.” — France 24
“Afghan universities are now men-only zones, where smartphones are banned” — France 24

Right1 outlet

Framing
Arab News carries AP's wire report, which leads on all four leaders and the court's charges, and stresses that arrest is a remote prospect. This is the agency's wording rather than the outlet's own framing.
Emphasis
The four named suspects, the court's description of the charges including gender identity and political grounds, Karim Khan's earlier request, and the court's lack of enforcement power.
Leaves out or plays down
Omits the UN Human Rights Council vote, the court's reasons for unsealing and the end date of the alleged crimes.
Charged language
“unprecedented, unconscionable and ongoing persecution”
For example
“With the Taliban in control of Afghanistan and the court having no police force to execute warrants, the prospect of any of the suspects being arrested is remote.” — Arab News
“Rights groups applauded last year when the court issued sealed warrants for the two senior Taliban leaders.” — Arab News