Taliban Rejects Hague Arrest Warrants for Four Senior Officials
The Taliban administration’s foreign ministry has said it does not accept the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue arrest warrants against four senior officials of the administration, describing it as a “blatant violation of national sovereignty, independence and the principle of non-interference” in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.
According to the Taliban foreign ministry spokesman, the International Criminal Court’s approach in this case is “selective and political.” The remarks were made in a statement issued in response to the international court’s move.
On Oct. 5, the International Criminal Court made public arrest warrants issued in 2025 for four senior Taliban officials. According to the published information, the individuals are Taliban leader Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, Supreme Court chief Abdul Hakim Haqqani, acting Education Minister Habibullah Agha, and acting Higher Education Minister Nida Muhammad Nadim.
In its statement, the Taliban foreign ministry stressed that it has no cooperation or engagement with the International Criminal Court and does not recognise the court’s jurisdiction over Afghanistan.
The ministry spokesman called on the international community to respect the “sovereignty, independence and internal decisions of the Afghan people.” The statement also said Afghanistan is ready to engage in dialogue with the international community on the basis of “mutual respect,” but considers interference in internal affairs, the imposition of judicial authority and attempts to exert political pressure on Afghanistan to be “unacceptable.”
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent judicial body based in The Hague that investigates cases related to serious international crimes. The Taliban administration said it would continue to state its position in the face of what it calls “political or judicial pressure.”
