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.
HIGHLIGHT
Israel, Palestine
On April 24, 2025, the International Criminal Court (ICC) ordered a lower panel to reconsider Israel's objections to the court's jurisdiction over arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. The appeals chamber ruled that the court had not properly weighed Israel's challenges to its jurisdiction and the legality of arrest warrant requests against Netanyahu and Gallant for their conduct of the war in Gaza.
On April 16, 2025, the International Criminal Court opened non-compliance proceedings against Hungary for failing to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited Budapest in early April, despite an ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu. During the visit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced his country's decision to withdraw from the court.
On April 27, 2025, the Sudan Doctors Network accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of 'war crimes' after 31 people, including children, were executed in Sudan's Omdurman. The group has described the killings as "the largest documented mass killing in the region" and the bloodshed by the RSF as a "war crime and a crime against humanity."
On April 29, 2025, Amnesty International published its annual "The State of the World's Human Rights" report, which warned of a global human rights crisis as the Trump administration's anti-rights campaign accelerates harmful trends. Despite the challenges faced, international justice and multilateral bodies have persisted in their efforts to ensure accountability at the highest levels.
On April 18, 2025, parliament speakers from 13 countries—including Malaysia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Spain, and Azerbaijan—condemned Israel's ongoing attacks on Gaza and urged global organizations to take action to halt the attacks.
On April 29, 2025, the Hungarian parliament voted to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) after Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused the ICC of being "motivated by political intentions." The withdrawal process will take one year to complete, following the official notification by Budapest to the Secretary General of the United Nations of its decision.
On April 17, 2025, the International Criminal Court pre-trial chamber rejected Duterte's request to restrict victim verification in its investigation into his war on drugs. The pre-trial chamber gave the prosecution until July 1 to submit all evidence against Duterte, which will be used in the confirmation of charges hearing scheduled for September 23.
On April 28, 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) commenced hearings to assess Israel's responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza during its war against Hamas. Thirty-eight countries, including the United States, China, France, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, will address the fifteen-judge panel to consider how Israel's actions comply with international law.
On April 28, 2025, The Guardian reported that ICC judges had allegedly ordered the court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, to maintain the confidentiality of arrest warrant requests related to the court's Palestine case. This order prevents Khan from making public announcements regarding his applications or intentions to seek them. The order follows Khan's preparation of new applications for Israeli suspects in connection with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories.
On April 3, 2025, Hungary announced that it is withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), following Israel's leader Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Hungary who is sought under an ICC arrest warrant. Hungary, a founding member of the ICC, will be the first European Union nation to withdraw from the court.
On April 4, 2025, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would likely not be detained if he were on Belgian soil, despite an ICC arrest warrant against Netanyahu. However, Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden stated that there is "no reason to change cooperation with the International Criminal Court".
On April 4, 2025, The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and 57 other human rights organizations, including PGA, called on the European Union (EU) to defend the International Criminal Court (ICC) against attacks by the United States and others.
On April 7, 2025, Rwanda commemorated the 1994 genocide, in which Hutu militias killed 800,000 people, most of whom were Tutsis. This year's event is marked by tensions over Rwanda's alleged support of the Tutsi-led M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On April 1, 2025, Nicaragua withdrew its application to intervene in the case of South Africa vs. Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the "Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip".
At the International Court of Justice on April 10, 2025, Sudan accused the United Arab Emirates of violating the Genocide Convention by supporting paramilitary forces in Darfur. The UAE has argued that the case should be dismissed as political and has called for the case to be thrown out.
Representatives of 40 states and four international organizations will participate in public hearings on Israel's obligations in the occupied Palestinian territory at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from April 28 to May 2, 2025.
US human rights advocates are challenging Donald Trump's executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed the lawsuit on April 11, 2025, arguing that the order violates the first amendment by prohibiting individuals from sharing information with the ICC's chief prosecutor and staff.
