International Justice Update - July 2026

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.

Highlight
United States, EU, UN On 13 July 2026, the U.S. State Department launched a "whole-of-government" campaign to dismantle the International Criminal Court, framing it as a threat to American sovereignty. On 14 July 2026, the European Union rejected this claim and reaffirmed its support for the Court's independence. Amnesty International condemned the campaign as "reprehensible," warning that it undermines the global fight against impunity. The UN Spokesperson reiterated that the ICC remains "a critical cog" in the global justice system. U.S. Department of State, Amnesty International, Anadolu Agency, UN News
Impunity Gap
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger On 2 July 2026, Human Rights Watch warned that the decision by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from the Rome Statute betrays victims, noting that all three military juntas face increasing international condemnation for atrocities committed by their security forces. Human Rights Watch
Lebanon, Israel On 3 July 2026, human rights and press freedom organizations warned that the US-brokered Lebanon-Israel agreement betrays victims of war crimes in Lebanon, denying accountability for civilians killed in Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon amid a persistent vacuum of justice. Al Jazeera
Sudan On 8 July 2026, the ICC's Deputy Prosecutor told the BBC that the Court had achieved a breakthrough in its investigation into the el-Fasher and el-Geneina massacres, finding evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Rapid Support Forces. BBC News
Lebanon, Israel On 9 July 2026, Amnesty International called for Israeli air strikes in southern Lebanon that killed 24 civilians, including 12 children, to be investigated as war crimes, and urged states to impose an immediate comprehensive arms embargo on Israel. Amnesty International
Bosnia and Herzegovina On 11 July 2026, thousands gathered in Srebrenica to commemorate 31 years since the Srebrenica genocide, honoring the victims of the 1995 massacre and burying 10 newly identified victims. Al Jazeera
Judicial Developments
Libya On 15 July 2026, ICC Pre-Trial Chamber I confirmed the Court's jurisdiction in the El-Hishri case, rejecting the Defense's challenge. ICC
United States On 15 July 2026, Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) and the Taxpayers Alliance Against Genocide (TAAG) filed a lawsuit arguing that US sanctions on the ICC violate Americans' constitutional right to engage in Palestine-related human rights advocacy. CNN