THE HAGUE — Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), met with Afghan women’s rights activists on Friday to underscore the court’s focus on addressing gender-based crimes in Afghanistan.
In a statement posted on X, the ICC said, “Alongside victims and civil society, the Office of the Prosecutor has prioritized action on gender-based crimes in Afghanistan.”
The announcement comes as six nations — Chile, Spain, France, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Luxembourg — formally referred cases of alleged human rights violations by the Taliban to the I.C.C. last week. These countries urged the court to investigate systematic crimes against Afghan women and girls, which have intensified since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021.
The six nations expressed deep concern over the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan, specifically the systemic discrimination and persecution of women and girls, calling for accountability through international mechanisms.
During a formal event, Mr. Khan praised the efforts of his team and announced that the court would soon seek arrest warrants in connection with its Afghanistan investigation.
“With the exceptional work of our team, which has consistently strived for justice, we will soon be requesting arrest warrants in the Afghanistan case,” Mr. Khan said.
The I.C.C. has held the mandate to investigate crimes in Afghanistan since 2020. While its investigations were paused under the previous Afghan government, they resumed in October 2022 after the Taliban takeover.
The renewed investigation highlights the international community’s growing concern over the Taliban’s policies, which have systematically stripped women and girls of basic rights, including access to education, employment, and public spaces.
