This Update on International Justice is prepared by the International Law and Human Rights Program and provided for informational purposes only. Any opinions expressed in articles contained in this Update are not necessarily endorsed by PGA or any individual/s associated with PGA; nor does PGA or any individual/s associated with PGA vouch for the accuracy of the contents of these articles.
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Israel
On February 16, 2025, Israel's Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a bill that prohibits sharing information regarding Israel's military operations with the International Criminal Court and punishes violators with up to five years of imprisonment.
On February 20, 2025, Afghanistan's Taliban leaders rejected the International Criminal Court's (ICC) jurisdiction over their nation, declaring it "unlawful" to accede to the court's founding treaty in 2003. This decision follows the ICC chief prosecutor's recent issuance of arrest warrants for the Taliban's supreme leader and associate, Hibatullah Akhundzada, accusing them of persecuting Afghan girls and women.
On February 18, 2025, the International Criminal Court announced that it had given Italy 30 days to respond to its failure to extradite Libyan general Osama Najim al-Masri, accused of crimes against humanity and mistreatment of migrants.
On 24 February 2025, Friedrich Merz, Germany's next chancellor, promised to ensure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can visit Germany despite an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. His office has invited Netanyahu to make an official visit to Germany in defiance of the ICC's decision.
The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF), a pro-Palestinian NGO, has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during Israel's ongoing military operation in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
Amnesty International has expressed concerns over Meta's recent content policy changes, citing the potential for increased risk of contributing to mass violence and genocide, similar to the company's role in Myanmar in 2017.
A US-based nonprofit organization, Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn), has called on the International Criminal Court to investigate former US President Joe Biden and two of his cabinet members for alleged involvement in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The ICC chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has endorsed a proposal from the Kinshasa government to establish a special tribunal for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Khan acknowledged the ICC's limited impact in addressing three decades of atrocities.
On February 18, 2025, Cambodian lawmakers approved a bill to increase penalties for denying atrocities committed in the late 1970s under the communist Khmer Rouge regime. The bill aims to prevent recurrence and provide justice for victims, carrying a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of between $2,500 and $125,000.
An Argentine court has issued arrest warrants for Myanmar's military junta leader Min Aung Hlaing and former officials, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, for alleged "genocide and crimes against humanity" targeting the Rohingya minority group. The ruling, filed under the principle of "universal jurisdiction," aims to prosecute crimes regardless of their location.
A South African court has dismissed claims of a white genocide in the country, stating that they are "clearly imagined" and "not real", undermining comments made by US President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk.
On February 26, 2025, the EU recalled the need for full implementation of the International Court of Justice's orders regarding the situation in Gaza and the escalation in the West Bank, strongly condemned Israel's ongoing military operations and urged Israel to cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms.
On February 7, 2025, over 70 countries, including France, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, issued a joint statement reaffirming their unwavering support for the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has been sanctioned by the US for investigating alleged war crimes by Israel in the Gaza Strip.
According to Italy's justice minister, Carlo Nordio, Italy released Libyan officer Osama Elmasry Njeem due to errors and inaccuracies in the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant.
The International Criminal Court has launched an investigation into Italy's decision to deport Osama Njeem Almasri, the head of Libya's judicial police, despite the existence of an ICC warrant for Almasri's arrest. The deportation is being examined by the Court as potentially constituting an obstruction of justice under Article 70 of the Rome Statute.
On February 4, 2025, Amnesty International said that the U.S. reception of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, shows contempt for international justice.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has welcomed the progress made in establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine within the framework of the Council of Europe.
On February 6, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court, blocking property and assets, and suspending entry into the United States of ICC officials, employees, and agents and their immediate family members.
International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan is seeking information on war crimes in eastern DRC amid renewed fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese forces.
On February 7, 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) granted the Arab League authorization to participate in advisory proceedings concerning Israel's obligations in occupied Palestinian territory.
On February 11, 2025, the Stockholm district court sentenced Lina Ishaq, a 52-year-old Swedish citizen, to 12 years in prison for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes for keeping Yazidi women and children as slaves at her home in Syria in 2015.
Despite the threats and aid cuts issued by the Trump administration, Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola has stated that there is "no chance" South Africa could withdraw its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
