Fazal Ahmad Manawi, the former Minister of Justice of Afghanistan, has welcomed the unsealing of arrest warrants for two Taliban ministers by the International Criminal Court (ICC). He described the move as a sign that the case for human rights violations in Afghanistan remains open.
On Monday, Mr. Manawi wrote on his X social media account that the court's decision shows that "legal responsibility does not fade with the passage of time." He welcomed the action and called for "faster and more decisive" next steps.
The former Minister of Justice emphasized that justice for victims becomes meaningful when perpetrators of human rights violations are held accountable for their actions. This stance comes at a time when many victims and human rights activists have been concerned that the crimes committed in Afghanistan might be forgotten.
The ICC on Monday unsealed arrest warrants for Habibullah Agha, the Taliban's Minister of Education, and Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the Minister of Higher Education. The warrants, originally issued on September 9, 2025, were for the roles these officials played in the systematic repression of women and girls, denying them their right to education.
Previously, in July 2025, the court had issued arrest warrants for Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban's leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the head of the group's supreme court. The unsealing of these warrants has raised hopes for holding Taliban leaders accountable for their policies.
Fazal Ahmad Manawi and other officials from the previous government have repeatedly called on the international community to increase pressure on the Taliban to respect human rights and to ing perpetrators of crimes to justice. The recent action by the ICC is seen as a significant step in this direction.
Source: Fazal Ahmad Manawi's X account
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