The International Law and Human Rights Program prepares this update on International Justice 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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On 17 April 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the International Court of Justice on its 80th anniversary, highlighting increasing violations of international law and geopolitical tensions. He called on states to “strengthen international law, recommit to the peaceful settlement of disputes, respect ICJ judgments, follow through on its advisory opinions, and uphold the UN Charter.”
On 24 April 2026, Human Rights Watch reported that Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar stated his intention to reverse Hungary’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, to restore the rule of law and relations with the European Union. He also indicated that Hungary would execute the ICC arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if Netanyahu visits Budapest in October.
On 21 April 2026, Amnesty International launched its 2025/26 annual report, The State of the World’s Human Rights, warning of a perilous new era of predatory attacks on multilateralism, international law, and civil society.
On 28 April 2026, Human Rights Watch reported that Israel’s cabinet approved a $334 million plan to transfer thousands of additional Israeli civilians into the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, calling it a clear statement of intent to commit war crimes.
On 30 April 2026, The Guardian reported that Syria’s National Commission for Transitional Justice was preparing a crimes against humanity and war crimes case against Fadi Saqr, a former commander of the National Defence Forces militia, in connection with the 2013 Tadamon massacre in Damascus, in which nearly 300 civilians were killed.
On 23 April 2026, Le Monde reported that the European Union was considering activating its blocking statute in response to the US administration’s sanctions against 11 ICC judges. French ICC judge Nicolas Guillou, himself subject to sanctions, warned that the measures “reveal Europe’s fragility” and threaten the rule of law worldwide.
On 22 April 2026, the ICC Appeals Chamber confirmed the Court’s jurisdiction in The Prosecutor v. Rodrigo Roa Duterte, concerning alleged crimes committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019, while the country was a State Party to the Rome Statute. On 23 April 2026, ICC Pre-Trial judges unanimously confirmed all charges of crimes against humanity against former President Duterte, sending the case to trial.
On 28 April 2026, the ICC Trial Chamber X awarded collective community-based reparations for victims in The Prosecutor v. Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud case, following Mr. Al Hassan’s conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Timbuktu, Mali, between 2012 and 2013.
On 2 April 2026, Human Rights Watch published a report documenting war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by all parties to the conflict in Burkina Faso since 2023, including mass killings, widespread attacks on civilians, and forced displacement.
On 2 April 2026, the International Criminal Court announced that its Presidency had referred Italy’s failure to cooperate with the Court to the Assembly of States Parties, after Pre-Trial Chamber I found that Italy had breached its obligations under the Rome Statute by failing to arrest and surrender Mr. Njeem, a Libyan general wanted for alleged war crimes, while he was on Italian territory.
On 2 April 2026, Amnesty International reported that Iranian authorities are recruiting and deploying child soldiers as young as 12 into a military campaign, putting them in grave danger and violating international humanitarian law.
On 3 April 2026, the Executive Director of Human Rights Watch warned that, amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, leaders are showing blatant disregard for international law and the safety of civilians, risking complicity in war crimes. He urged governments to speak out in defense of justice and accountability for such crimes.
On 7 April 2026, Rwanda began a week of commemorations marking 32 years since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, during which approximately 1 million people were killed over 100 days by Hutu extremists.
On 13 April 2026, more than 100 international law experts signed an open letter warning that U.S. strikes on Iran clearly violate the United Nations Charter and raise serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law and potential war crimes.
On 10 April 2026, UN human rights experts welcomed Spain's decision to establish a Truth Commission to investigate human rights violations committed during the Spanish Civil War and Franco dictatorship, calling it a historic step toward truth, redress and reparations for victims.
On 7 April 2026, Rohingya activists and rights groups filed a criminal case against Myanmar's President Min Aung Hlaing, accusing him of committing genocide against the Rohingya, including mass rape, arson, torture, and persecution. Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office formally accepted the case under the country’s new penal code, which incorporates the principle of universal jurisdiction.
