The International Criminal Court (ICC), situated in The Hague, stated today that it is prepared to support Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in its investigation into suspected mass murders that occurred in July and August.
“The ICC is always available to assist states both in terms of technical support, training, and guidance when requested,” said ICC’s Senior Trial Lawyer Essa Mbye Faal at a press briefing at a hotel in the capital this evening.
He emphasized the ICC’s commitment on supporting states in their pursuit of justice at the briefing that coincided with ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan’s visit to Bangladesh.
At the briefing, the trial lawyer also announced Prosecutor Khan’s decision to seek arrest warrants for Myanmar military leaders implicated in violence against the Rohingya community.
He thanked Bangladesh for its significant cooperation during the investigation into Rohingya-related atrocities.
“The support the Office of the Prosecutor has received from the government of Bangladesh has been tremendous. Bangladesh has been extremely helpful,” Faal remarked.
“Their cooperation has made it significantly easier for us to carry out our work and achieve our objectives,” he added.
When asked about the possibility of assisting Bangladesh’s ICT, Faal reiterated the ICC’s willingness to provide support.
“With this level of cooperation, if Bangladesh were to seek assistance, the Office would be more than happy to oblige,” he affirmed.
In a previous statement, ICC Prosecutor Karim AA Khan declared his intention to apply for an arrest warrant against Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader of Myanmar, before Pre-Trial Chamber I.
Khan’s office has determined that there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect Min Aung Hlaing, who is also the acting president of Myanmar and the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Defence Services, of having “criminal responsibility” for crimes against humanity after a thorough, independent, and unbiased investigation.
The Rohingya were persecuted and deported, among other crimes, in Myanmar and, to a lesser extent, Bangladesh.
This is the first time the ICC Prosecutor’s office has ever applied for an arrest warrant against a senior Myanmar government official.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has been looking into claims related to the 2016 and 2017 waves of violence in Rakhine State, Myanmar, which caused a large-scale flight of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, since November 14, 2019.
The ICC prosecutor stressed that the application is backed up by a wealth of evidence, including as verified scientific, photographic, and video materials, documentary records, and witness testimony, some of which are from insiders.
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