RASC News Agency: The Taliban have formally declared that they do not recognize the International Criminal Court (ICC) or its authority. In an official statement released on Thursday, February 20, the group asserted that they hold no legal or moral obligation toward the ICC and categorically reject the Rome Statute, the foundational treaty that established the court. The Taliban accused the ICC of political bias, alleging that the court has failed to uphold justice and impartiality. According to the group, the ICC has taken no meaningful action against war crimes or civilian massacres in Afghanistan. However, this claim starkly contrasts with evidence indicating that the Taliban themselves were responsible for the majority of civilian casualties, orchestrating suicide bombings, urban assaults, and attacks on hospitals, schools, and places of worship.
Furthermore, the group dismissed Afghanistan’s previous government’s accession to the Rome Statute in 2003, stating that under their rule, it holds no legal validity. The Taliban reaffirmed their commitment to governing strictly under their interpretation of Sharia law, rejecting any international legal frameworks that contradict their ideological stance. This announcement comes amid growing condemnation from Muslim-majority nations, global religious scholars, and international organizations, many of whom have denounced the Taliban’s policies as inconsistent with Islamic and humanitarian principles.
Previously, the ICC issued arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders, including their supreme leader and chief justice, citing their involvement in crimes against humanity. Afghanistan had been a state party to the ICC since 2003, legally bound to uphold the court’s rulings and international legal obligations before the Taliban’s takeover.
