KABUL, Afghanistan — Taliban on Friday condemned a request by the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor for an arrest warrant against their supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, calling it “unfair, politically motivated, and based on double standards.”
In a statement released by the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taliban dismissed the allegations brought by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan as “baseless.” The statement claimed the request lacked legal merit and accused the ICC of bias.
“This decision is devoid of legal fairness, driven by double standards, and influenced by political motives,” the statement said.
Taliban defended their governance, asserting that Afghanistan is now secure and free of past abuses.
“Such allegations against the respected leaders of the Islamic Emirate are made while Afghanistan has achieved nationwide security, personal prisons have been eradicated, kidnappings have ceased, and power islands of warlords and other inhumane crimes have been eliminated,” the statement read.
Taliban also accused the ICC of ignoring alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed by foreign forces and their domestic allies during the two decades preceding the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
“This type of unjust treatment further undermines the already diminished credibility of this institution and renders its international standing meaningless,” the Taliban added.
The ICC’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, announced on Thursday that he had requested arrest warrants for Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the Taliban’s Supreme Court, accusing them of crimes against humanity, including gender persecution.
The move by the ICC prosecutor has been widely welcomed by human rights activists and watchdog organizations.
