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IEA rejects ICC arrest warrants for senior Afghan leaders, calls court ‘illegitimate’
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has strongly rejected the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) announcement of arrest warrants for its top leadership, calling the court’s actions politically motivated and without legal standing.
In an official audio statement, Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said: “We do not recognize any institution by the name or title of the International Criminal Court, nor do we have any commitment to it.”
“Such rulings will not affect the firm will and legitimate position of the Islamic Emirate.”
The comments came in response to the ICC’s move on Tuesday, in which it issued arrest warrants for Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, accusing them of crimes against humanity – specifically, what they claim is the “persecution of women and girls” under IEA rule.
Mujahid dismissed the charges and questioned the ICC’s moral credibility, pointing to the international court’s silence on what he described as the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
“The genocide of Palestinians at the hands of Israel, supported by its allied countries, continues. Hundreds of women and children are killed daily, and the ICC remains silent. Their claim to defend human rights is shameful,” he said.
The ICC charges center on policies enacted by the IEA since their return to power in August 2021. The court alleges that senior leadership, including Akhundzada and Haqqani, are responsible for institutionalized gender-based oppression, including bans on girls’ education beyond sixth grade; prohibitions on women’s employment; and restrictions on women’s freedom of movement without a male guardian.
The arrest warrants mark the first time the ICC has targeted IEA leaders for gender-based crimes.
While the Islamic Emirate has consistently defended its policies as aligned with Islamic Sharia and Afghan cultural values, international bodies have repeatedly condemned them as violations of basic human rights.
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UNSC poised to extend mandate of Afghanistan sanctions monitoring team
According to the report, the current mandate of the Monitoring Team is set to expire on February 17.
The United Nations Security Council has reported that it is expected to vote later this month on a draft resolution to extend the mandate of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which assists the 1988 Afghanistan Sanctions Committee.
According to the report, the current mandate of the Monitoring Team is set to expire on February 17.
The 1988 Sanctions Committee is responsible for enforcing measures including an assets freeze, travel bans, and an arms embargo against individuals and groups associated with the Islamic Emirate.
The committee also manages the sanctions list, reviews exemption requests, and supports UN member states in implementing the sanctions regime through the Monitoring Team’s assessments, reports, and recommendations.
The anticipated vote comes as the Security Council continues to review the effectiveness and scope of international sanctions related to Afghanistan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
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