On June 20th war crimes judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) will discuss whether to launch investigation into the forced exodus of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. The decision was made after chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, asked the court whether deportations could be investigated as a crime against humanity.
"The chamber convenes a status conference on 20 June 2018, to be held in closed session, only in the presence of the prosecutor," ruled Judge Peter Kovacs on Friday.
Approximately 700 000 Rohingya Muslims fled from Myanmar to Bangladesh since last August. Given that Myanmar is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, investigating the plight of Rohingya Muslims poses restrictions.
However, Bensouda argues that since Bangladesh is a signatory to the Rome Statute, if deportations are considered a war crime, her office should receive the jurisdiction to investigate.
“Nowhere in the ICC Charter does it say that the court has jurisdiction over states which have not accepted that jurisdiction," Myanmar stated in response to such developments.
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