Over the past six months, developments in international justice have highlighted both the vulnerability and resilience of the Rome Statute system. While three Sahel States (Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali) formally notified their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, Hungary's newly formed parliament reversed a planned exit from the Court, choosing to remain committed to accountability and the rule of law.
In this context, parliamentarians have continued to mobilize in the fight against impunity. Parliamentarians for Global Action engaged in UN negotiations on a future Crimes Against Humanity Convention, PGA members contributed to high-level debates on Afghanistan's human rights crisis, strengthened parliamentary engagement on international justice, and joined global initiatives such as the EU Day Against Impunity. In addition, PGA is raising awareness of this year's ICC judicial elections and advocating for the selection of merit-based, independent, and diverse judicial candidates.
In this 13th edition, you will find:
Advancing a Global Crimes Against Humanity Convention
In January 2026, PGA participated in the first session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Diplomatic Conference on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, held in New York from 19 to 30 January. The session marked a significant step toward a future Crimes Against Humanity Convention, as States and experts discussed draft articles to strengthen prevention, accountability, and international cooperation, thereby complementing the Rome Statute framework. PGA and the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) advocated for a strong treaty that reflects contemporary international law, supports victims, addresses crimes such as gender apartheid, and establishes a mechanism to ensure effective implementation.
To sustain this momentum, and ahead of the 30 April 2026 deadline for States to submit proposals for inclusion in the draft articles, PGA published the policy brief Towards a Crimes Against Humanity Treaty to help parliamentarians understand the proposed convention, key proposals under discussion, the differences to the Rome Statute, and the concrete steps parliaments can take to shape political momentum. Additionally, PGA supported a briefing note by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) advocating for the inclusion of a clear obligation in the Convention to criminalize direct and public incitement to crimes against humanity as a distinct, standalone offense.
Addressing Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan
On 18 March 2026, the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) hosted a debate in Brussels with Afghan women parliamentarians in exile, Hon. Fawzia Koofi and Hon Mariam Solaimankhil, PGA members, on the human rights situation in Afghanistan, especially for women and girls. The MPs described the Taliban's system of gender-based persecution and the systematic dismantling of women's rights, emphasizing the urgent need for sustained EU engagement to strengthen accountability and justice mechanisms.
On 27 May 2026, PGA joined 82 Afghan and international human rights organizations in signing an open letter opposing the EU's plans to engage Taliban representatives in Brussels as part of EU migration and deportation discussions. The letter warned that such high-level engagement could legitimize a regime responsible for systematic violations, in particular gender persecution, and urged the EU and its Member States to halt any forced returns to Afghanistan, prioritizing accountability and protection instead.
Hon. Fawzia Koofi, Afghanistan's first woman deputy speaker of parliament, further raised the issue in an opinion article published in The Guardian, urging the EU to enact laws to end gender apartheid and impunity rather than welcoming the perpetrators to Brussels. "Seeing the Taliban welcomed on European soil feels like a devastating betrayal. It is a slap in the face to every Afghan woman and girl who has fought, suffered and resisted Taliban oppression," wrote Hon. Koofi.
Parliamentarian Dialogue on International Justice
At the sidelines of PGA's 46th Annual Forum in Mexico City, on 25 March 2026, parliamentarians from various countries participated in a dedicated dialogue on international justice and the ICC. The sessions offered a platform to discuss the threats and opportunities within the Rome Statute framework, the need for implementation in national legislation, and initiatives to address international legal gaps, such as the draft Crimes Against Humanity, recognizing ecocide, reinforcing laws combating human trafficking, and ratifying and implementing the Ljubljana–The Hague Convention. Legislators also exchanged experiences and best practices on parliamentary efforts to prioritize the fight against impunity.
Defending International Justice in the EU
In May 2026, the Global Initiative Against Impunity, of which PGA is a member, issued a joint statement ahead of the EU Day Against Impunity. The statement called on the EU and its Member States to defend the international justice system and stand firmly with survivors and affected communities amid a continued escalation of threats and attacks on courts and accountability mechanisms.
A few days later, the Hungarian National Assembly adopted legislation reversing its planned withdrawal from the Rome Statute, confirming Hungary's support for the ICC and its continued status as a State Party. PGA welcomed this decision as an example of how parliaments can reaffirm their commitment to international justice and the rule of law, even amid unprecedented pressure on multilateral institutions.
African States' Withdrawals from the Rome Statute
In contrast, efforts to defend the ICC in Africa met setbacks as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso formally submitted withdrawal notifications from the Rome Statute on 18 and 24 June, respectively. Parliamentarians expressed deep concern at these developments, urging the three countries to reconsider their decisions, especially as serious human rights abuses persist in the Sahel region. According to Article 127 of the Rome Statute, these States remain bound by all treaty obligations until one year after their withdrawal notices are deposited.
Looking to the second half of 2026 and beyond, PGA is raising awareness about the upcoming ICC judicial elections, to take place in December. The elections are a critical moment for the international justice system, as ICC judges ensure fair trials in cases of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression, thereby shaping the court's performance, integrity, and credibility.
States Parties to the Rome Statute have nominated 14 judicial candidates from each region to be elected for 9-year terms at the 25th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute (ASP). In its role as co-chair of the CSO Working Group on Judicial Elections, along with the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), PGA is contributing to efforts to promote fair, transparent, and merit-based processes for the nomination and election of ICC judges. This includes ensuring that judges meet the high qualification standards set by the Rome Statute, namely high moral character, impartiality, and integrity.
In May, PGA launched a communications outreach campaign to raise awareness about the upcoming judicial elections, urging parliamentarians to monitor the process and review the list of candidates. The campaign highlighted the Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM) as part of the Court's permanent due diligence process, which collects and assesses allegations of candidate misconduct, including sexual harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, human rights violations, and other serious breaches. PGA also contributed to the development of a candidate questionnaire and circulated the memo, "Safeguarding Merit, Integrity, and Transparency: The 2026 ICC Judicial Elections."
In the coming months, the elections team will share further details on individual candidates and their completed questionnaires to support informed decision-making ahead of the December elections. Meanwhile, PGA remains committed to supporting parliamentary action to protect and strengthen the Rome Statute system.
A summary of some key ICC judicial developments in the first half of 2026 is available here.
For more frequent updates, PGA's biweekly International Justice Updates provides key global highlights on cooperation, impunity, legislative/parliamentary developments, and judicial developments.