One year after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for senior Taliban leaders, justice remains unfulfilled. Arrest warrants are a vital instrument of international law, but without effective enforcement they risk undermining confidence in the international justice system and denying victims the accountability they deserve.
For millions of Afghan women and girls who continue to be deprived of their fundamental rights and freedoms—including the rights to education, work, movement, political participation, and equal dignity before the law—accountability is not an abstract legal principle. It is a lifeline, a source of hope, and an essential step toward restoring justice and preventing future atrocities.
The World Liberty Congress calls on all States Parties to the Rome Statute to fulfil their legal obligations by fully cooperating with the International Criminal Court, including the execution of its arrest warrants. International justice depends not only on judicial decisions but also on the political will of states to enforce them.
Impunity emboldens perpetrators, prolongs the suffering of victims, and weakens the credibility of the international rules-based order. Justice delayed must not become justice denied.
The international community must stand firmly with the women and girls of Afghanistan and all victims of systematic repression. Justice and accountability are indispensable to protecting human rights, defending freedom, and ensuring that no individual is above international law.
The World Liberty Congress reaffirms its unwavering commitment to justice, accountability, democracy, and the universal protection of human rights.
