Tue Jul 08 14:16:54 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text, written from an Indian perspective and suitable for publication in “The Hindu,” considering the listed newsletter offerings:

**The Hague, Netherlands – July 8, 2025**

**ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Taliban Leaders Over Persecution of Afghan Women**

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for Supreme Leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, alleging crimes against humanity related to the systematic persecution of women in Afghanistan. The ICC alleges that these leaders bear responsibility for depriving women and girls of fundamental rights and freedoms based on their gender since the Taliban’s takeover on August 15, 2021.

According to the ICC statement, the crimes continued until at least January 20, 2025, and involved “severely depriving” women and girls of access to education, privacy, family life, and freedom of movement, expression, thought, conscience, and religion. The court also noted that individuals with gender identities deemed inconsistent with Taliban policy were targeted.

The move is significant in the context of international law and accountability, particularly given India’s ongoing engagement with the Afghan situation. The ICC, which handles the gravest international crimes, relies on its member states for the execution of arrest warrants. While this creates a challenge for enforcement, it theoretically restricts the travel of those indicted to ICC member states.

The warrants highlight the persistent concerns voiced by international observers and human rights organizations regarding the plight of Afghan women under Taliban rule. The implications of these warrants, and the potential for their enforcement, remain to be seen, but they underscore the international community’s condemnation of the Taliban’s policies towards women. The warrants raise questions about whether the Taliban Leaders would face repercussions, whether any member nation would carry out the warrants, and overall bring awareness to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

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