Taliban Declares ICC Jurisdiction Void, Rejects Rome Statute Accession

The Taliban announced on Thursday that Afghanistan would no longer recognize the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), declaring its 2003 accession to the Rome Statute legally void, Jurist News reported. This move follows ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for arrest warrants for Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

The Taliban criticized the ICC for alleged political bias, claiming it has failed to hold foreign powers accountable for wartime atrocities during the US-led War in Afghanistan. They emphasized that major global powers, including the US, are not signatories to the Rome Statute, arguing that it is unjust for Afghanistan, historically subjected to foreign occupation, to be bound by its jurisdiction.

Taliban officials asserted that their governance aligns with Islamic teachings and rejected claims of human rights abuses, particularly against women and girls. Despite the withdrawal, legal experts note that the ICC retains jurisdiction over crimes committed before the withdrawal, as outlined in Article 127 of the Rome Statute.