ICC Unseals Arrest Warrants for Two Taliban Education Ministers

The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Monday that it has unsealed arrest warrants targeting two members of the Taliban government: Minister of Education Habibullah Agha and Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadeem. The decision marks the final step in making all four warrants issued under the Afghanistan investigation publicly known.

According to a statement from the court’s press office, the warrants for these two officials were originally issued on September 9, 2025, but had remained confidential until now. The Pre-Trial Chamber decided on October 5, 2026, to lift the secrecy on all four arrest warrants connected to the situation in Afghanistan.

Charges of Gender-Based Persecution

The ICC stated there are reasonable grounds to believe that the four accused individuals bear criminal responsibility for ordering, inciting, or soliciting the commission of crimes against humanity. Specifically, the charges relate to persecution based on gender. The alleged offenses occurred in Afghanistan following the Taliban's takeover of power on August 15, 2021, and continued at least until January 20, 2025.

Judges noted that the Taliban specifically targeted girls and women because of their sex, depriving them of fundamental rights including access to education, freedom of movement, and freedom of expression.

Completion of Public Disclosure

This latest announcement completes the public record for the case. On July 8, 2025, the court had already revealed arrest warrants for two other senior Taliban leaders: Hibatullah Akhundzada, the leader of the movement, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the judiciary in Afghanistan. With the unsealing of the warrants for the education ministers, all four arrest orders in this matter are now public.

The court indicated that while the secrecy was lifted, certain parts of the documents remain redacted. This partial disclosure was deemed necessary to ensure that ongoing investigations would not be unduly prejudiced.

Enforcement Challenges Remain

A significant hurdle remains for the execution of these legal orders. The ICC does not possess its own police force to enforce arrest warrants. Consequently, the likelihood of apprehending any of the suspects is considered remote as long as the Taliban maintains control over Afghanistan.