The International Criminal Court has narrowed its Afghanistan investigation to alleged crimes by the Taliban, ending the part of the inquiry that could have examined conduct by U.S. personnel. The judges issued their decision Thursday and made it public Friday. The prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press it had already appealed.
What the ruling changes
The court’s Afghanistan docket lists a public redacted version of the Nov. 12 decision. According to AP, the judges cited obstacles to gathering evidence and carrying out the investigation. The court had authorized an investigation in 2020 that covered allegations involving the Taliban, former Afghan government forces and U.S. personnel. Friday’s disclosure concerns the scope of that inquiry.
Taliban cases continue
The court’s annual report to the United Nations describes a separate line of investigation into alleged persecution of women and girls under Taliban rule. The court’s president told the General Assembly that four arrest warrants had been unsealed since that report was issued. The warrants concern allegations of gender persecution.
The decision comes while the United States, which is outside the court’s membership and rejects its jurisdiction over Americans, has sanctions in place against the court and current and former staff, AP reported. The prosecutor’s appeal puts the decision to narrow the inquiry before the court again.