The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, Karim Khan, has requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s junta leader, Min Aung Hlaing.
The request follows an ICC investigation, which found “reasonable grounds to believe” that Min Aung Hlaing bears responsibility for crimes against humanity, including persecution and deportation of the Rohingya minority.
Judges at the ICC will now decide whether to issue the warrant. The process usually takes around three months, according to Reuters.
Myanmar’s military launched a brutal campaign in Rakhine State in 2017, driving over 700,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh. Thousands are believed to have been killed. Myanmar denies targeting civilians, claiming it was fighting terrorists.
Although Myanmar is not an ICC member, the court asserts jurisdiction due to Bangladesh’s membership and the cross-border nature of the crimes.
“This is the first arrest warrant request for a high-ranking Myanmar official from my office,” Khan said, adding that more requests will follow.
Min Aung Hlaing seized power in a 2021 coup, overthrowing the elected government and delaying promised elections.
Source: Reuters
