Karim Khan said on Thursday that the applications were filed for arrest warrants for Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s top leader in Afghanistan, and the country’s current chief justice, Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan said, “Based on the extensive investigation and evidence gathered, my office has determined that there is sufficient reason to believe that Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Afghanistan’s Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani committed the crime. Under Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Convention against humanity on the grounds of sex, is responsible.”
He said his office found that the two Afghan figures were criminally responsible for the oppression and torture of Afghan girls and women who the Taliban consider to be outside the expectations of their gender identity and expression.
According to these petitions, the persecution has been carried out across Afghanistan from August 15, 2021 to the present time.
Violation of fundamental rights
The petition, prepared by Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s office, said the abuse of girls and women in Afghanistan includes depriving victims of their fundamental rights, which is a violation of international law.
This includes depriving victims of their physical dignity and autonomy, their freedom of movement and expression, their right to education, personal and family rights, and their right to assembly.
Karim Khan said, apart from the deprivation of fundamental rights under the Taliban rule in Afghanistan, other serious crimes under the Rome Convention have also been committed.
…to be continued…