Former Afghan Minister of Justice Fazel Ahmad Manawi has criticized the slow pace of proceedings against Taliban leaders at the International Criminal Court (ICC), stating that effective and practical steps have yet to be taken to ensure justice.
In a post on his X account, Manawi wrote that one year has passed since the issuance of arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials, yet no tangible outcome has been achieved. He added that the expectations of Afghan victims and those seeking justice have also remained unmet.
He said that following the Taliban’s return to power, he submitted documented evidence concerning the group’s alleged war crimes, human rights violations, and other abuses to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, and held extensive discussions with relevant experts on the matter. According to him, although arrest warrants have been issued against two Taliban leaders over allegations of gender-based persecution and the suppression of women’s rights, the scope of alleged crimes committed by the Taliban extends far beyond these cases, and investigations are progressing at a slow pace.
The former justice minister emphasized that targeted killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and the systematic suppression of opponents in Afghanistan are among the cases for which evidence, photographs, and video documentation have been submitted to the international court. He warned that prolonged delays in delivering justice create an environment of impunity and may encourage further violations.
Manawi also stated that the Taliban have introduced a number of criminal and personal status laws over the past year which, in his view, contradict international human rights standards and provide a legal framework for discriminatory practices. He called on the international community and the International Criminal Court to prioritize the rights of the Afghan people and their pursuit of justice over political considerations.
It is worth noting that in 2025, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and the group’s Chief Justice, based on allegations of serious human rights violations and gender-based persecution. According to human rights reports, hundreds of people have been publicly flogged by the Taliban in recent months, while restrictions on women’s education, employment, and social participation continue.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
