ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Taliban Education Ministers

The International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed arrest warrants on October 5 for two Afghan education ministers, Habibullah Agha and Neda Mohammad Nadeem, who are accused of committing crimes against humanity through the Taliban government's restrictions on women's and girls' education. The warrants were originally issued in September 2025 but remained sealed until now.

Agha, the minister of education, and Nadeem, the minister of higher education, are implicated in enforcing policies that barred girls from attending school beyond primary level and excluded women from higher education since the Taliban regained power in August 2021. The ICC stated there are reasonable grounds to believe the ministers committed persecution based on gender.

The unsealing of these warrants is expected to increase international pressure on the Taliban government. The ICC had previously authorized warrants for Taliban leaders Haibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani in July 2025.

The situation has led to severe mental health issues among Afghan women and girls, who face strict restrictions on public life and education.