KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights for Afghanistan, stated that the request for arrest warrants against the Taliban’s leader and chief justice has given hope to Afghan women fighting for their fundamental rights.
Speaking at the 12th Herat Security Dialogue in Madrid, Spain, on Monday, Bennett emphasized that the scale of women’s rights violations in Afghanistan is unmatched anywhere in the world.
He described the arrest warrant request as a significant step toward holding the Taliban accountable for their systematic repression of women and girls.
If granted, he added, the warrants would further complicate the Taliban’s international engagement and prospects for recognition.
Praising the resilience of Afghan women, Bennett stressed that they must be central to any peace process and discussions on Afghanistan’s future.
His remarks follow last month’s announcement by Karim Khan, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), that he had submitted a request for arrest warrants against Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
The request accuses them of crimes against humanity, including the systematic persecution of Afghan women and girls. Khan stated that this was the first such request concerning Afghanistan, with more to follow against senior Taliban officials.
The move has been widely welcomed by women’s rights activists and human rights organizations.
However, the Taliban dismissed the ICC’s actions as “politically motivated” and declared that they do not consider themselves bound by its rulings.
