GENEVA — UN Special Rapporteur for Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, warned on Tuesday that U.S. sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) could weaken the court and obstruct justice for victims of war crimes.
“The International Criminal Court has a critical role in Afghanistan as one of the few avenues for accountability for international crimes,” Bennett said in a post on X. “Sanctions against the ICC undermine the Court and thwart the aspirations of victims for justice and reparations for the worst crimes across the world.”
The statement follows President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier in February, imposing sanctions on ICC officials in response to the court’s investigation into alleged war crimes by Israel.
The ICC drew condemnation from Israel in November 2024 when it issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The court also issued a warrant for a senior Hamas commander on similar charges.
Meanwhile, the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor has requested arrest warrants for Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the chief justice of the Taliban-run Supreme Court, on charges of crimes against humanity, including gender persecution.
The request, announced on Thursday, January 25, by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, follows investigations by a special Afghanistan task force and international legal experts.
According to the ICC, Akhundzada and Haqqani are accused of leading a systematic campaign of repression against women, girls, and LGBTQ+ individuals, which began after the Taliban’s return to power on August 15, 2021, and continues to this day.
The court has stated that both Taliban leaders bear direct responsibility for widespread human rights violations, which constitute crimes under international law.
