The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has requested an arrest warrant for Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s military regime, for crimes against the Rohingya Muslim minority. This comes after nearly a million Rohingya were forcibly displaced to Bangladesh in what is described as an ethnic cleansing campaign involving mass atrocities. The court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, intends to request more warrants for Myanmar’s leaders and ensure the Rohingya’s protection under the law. The allegations stem from a 2017 military counterinsurgency campaign directed by Hlaing, resulting in attacks on Rohingya civilians.
Despite Myanmar not being a member of the International Criminal Court, investigations can proceed in member states like Bangladesh where crimes were completed. Previous investigations by the court authorized probing crimes related to the Rohingya situation in Myanmar and Bangladesh. The recent arrest warrant request for Hlaing comes amidst ongoing internal conflict in Myanmar, with a rebel group seizing a key trading town from the government.
Additionally, in 2022, the International Court of Justice advanced a separate case brought by Gambia against Myanmar, accusing the country of genocide against the Rohingya. Five European countries and Canada have supported Gambia’s case. Overall, the international legal actions against Myanmar’s military regime aim to hold perpetrators accountable for human rights abuses and seek justice for the Rohingya minority.
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