The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has requested an arrest warrant for Myanmar's military leader for alleged crimes against the Rohingya minority group. The prosecutor, Karim Khan, accuses Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing of bearing criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity, including deportation and persecution of the Rohingya between August and December 2017.
Following the violence, over one million Rohingya were forcibly displaced from Myanmar, with many seeking refuge in neighboring Bangladesh. Min Aung Hlaing, who leads Myanmar's powerful military, has been in control of the country since the military seized power in 2021.
The investigation, ongoing since 2019, implicates the armed forces of Myanmar, supported by national police, border guard police, and non-Rohingya civilians. Myanmar has consistently defended itself against accusations of genocide, attributing its actions to combating Rohingya rebels.
Despite Myanmar not being an ICC member state, if the arrest warrant is approved, member countries may be required to transfer Min Aung Hlaing to ICC custody if he enters their territory. Khan emphasized the court's commitment to pursuing justice for the Rohingya and stated that additional applications for arrest will be filed in the future.
Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have welcomed Khan's application as a crucial step towards accountability and ending decades of impunity. Previous UN investigations have documented atrocities committed by the military against the Rohingya, including mass rapes, murders, and village burnings.
In 2020, the International Court of Justice issued provisional measures directing Myanmar to prevent acts of genocide against the Rohingya. The ICC's efforts to hold Min Aung Hlaing accountable for his alleged crimes reflect a broader push for justice and recognition of the rights of all individuals, including the Rohingya community.
