World Court to Rule in Rohingya Genocide Case on 19 November
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Court of Justice will rule on 19 November in its landmark case against the government of Myanmar, which is accused of committing genocide against the minority Muslim Rohingya, the court said on Tuesday. ICJ judges will start reading out their judgment on 19 November at 8:00 GMT. It will be the first time in over a decade, and only the third time ever, that the ICJ hands down a judgment in a genocide case.
The case was brought by Gambia in 2019. Gambia argued that a 2017 offensive by Myanmar government forces that forced at least 730,000 Rohingya into neighbouring Bangladesh constituted a genocide. Rohingya refugees recounted instances of killings, mass rape and arson, and a UN fact-finding commission concluded the offensive included "genocidal acts." Myanmar denies accusations of genocide and has said the offensive was a legitimate counter-terrorism campaign.
The ICJ is the UN's highest court and deals with disputes between states and alleged breaches of international treaties including the 1948 Genocide Convention. Reuters reported that the outcome is likely to shape future genocide cases at the ICJ, including South Africa's 2023 case accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel denies. ICJ rulings are final and without appeal.
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 位于荷兰海牙和平宫的国际法院总部。照片：国际法院，公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons / The International Court of Justice headquarters at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: International Court of Justice, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
