On 23 January 2025, ALO publicly welcomed the application by the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 23 January 2025 for arrest warrants for two senior Taliban officials, Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Supreme Court Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani, for the crime against humanity of gender persecution.

Artemis Akbary, ALO’s Executive Director, said;

This is a historic moment since it is the first time in history that the ICC has officially recognized the crimes committed against LGBTIQ+ people.

He emphasised that this case sends a strong message rejecting gender-based violence targeting women, girls, and LGBTIQ+ individuals—and affirms the international community’s responsibility to support Afghan survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. 

ALO’s full statement is available here: https://afghanlgbt.com/en/content/wJWg/