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
Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali
On 18 June 2026, Niger formally submitted its instrument of withdrawal from the ICC to the UN Secretary-General. On 24 June 2026, Burkina Faso and Mali also deposited withdrawal notifications. Parliamentarians urge Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali to stay in the International Criminal Court.
On 16 June 2026, Human Rights Watch called on the European Union to build on Hungary’s recommitment to the International Criminal Court by increasing political support for the Rome Statute system and strengthening cooperation with the Court.
On 17 June 2026, Amnesty International reported that the Israeli military had radically expanded its use of unlawful mass “evacuation” and no-return orders in Lebanon, forcibly displacing hundreds of thousands of people and potentially committing the war crime of unlawful transfer in southern Lebanon.
On 23 June 2026, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel found that Israeli authorities and security forces deliberately targeted Palestinian children, committing genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Gaza, as well as war crimes in the West Bank.
On 22 June 2026, the Swedish government announced its decision to join the agreement establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
On 16 June 2026, the Special Criminal Court in the Central African Republic opened the trial in absentia of former President François Bozizé, marking a significant step in addressing alleged crimes against humanity.
On 18 June 2026, it was reported that the International Criminal Court scheduled a vote for 24 July 2026 to consider the removal of Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office following allegations of sexual assault.
On 19 June 2026, the International Federation for Human Rights welcomed a ruling of Colombia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace that charged five senior leaders of the FARC’s Caribbean Bloc with crimes against humanity and war crimes against indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.
On 24 June 2026, Open Society Justice Initiative reported that three sitting judges of the International Criminal Court filed a lawsuit against the US government, challenging sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
On 26 June 2026, the Democratic Republic of the Congo filed a case against Rwanda before the International Court of Justice, seeking accountability, cessation of alleged violations, and reparations for decades of alleged abuses in eastern DRC.
On 3 June 2026, PGA Member Fawzia Koofi, the first woman deputy speaker of parliament in Afghanistan, urged European states to adopt legal measures addressing gender apartheid. Human rights advocates condemned the EU’s decision to host Taliban representatives in Brussels, warning that engagement with the Taliban risks legitimizing ongoing abuses against women and girls.
On 1 June 2026, the International Criminal Court welcomed Hungary’s decision to remain a State Party to the Rome Statute, following the government’s formal withdrawal notice. The reversal strengthens the international justice system and confirms Hungary’s uninterrupted cooperation with the ICC.
On 1 June 2026, Amnesty International called on Spanish and Argentinean authorities to advance justice for Venezuelan victims of crimes against humanity, emphasizing the importance of universal jurisdiction proceedings and full cooperation with extradition requests related to abuses in Venezuela.
On 5 June 2026, French prosecutors opened a war crimes investigation into Israel’s alleged mistreatment of French activists detained during an attempt to break the Gaza blockade. The probe follows reports of violence and degrading treatment during and after the interception of the Gaza flotilla by Israeli forces.
On 9 June 2026, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stressed the need for increased accountability for war crimes committed against children, noting the growing impact of armed conflict on children and the failure of justice systems to address the specific harms they face.
On 10 June 2026, Amnesty International warned that Israel’s accelerated annexation policies and forcible displacement of Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank require urgent international action to halt ethnic cleansing, apartheid, and related crimes under international law.
On 10 June 2026, Human Rights Watch reported that Rwandan military forces and the M23 armed group have engaged in forced recruitment, abusive detention, killings, torture, forced labor, and the use of child soldiers in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, which should be investigated as possible war crimes and crimes against humanity.
On 8 June 2026, the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties suspended ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan with immediate effect, following the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings concerning alleged misconduct. The Bureau announced that a special session would be convened to consider the matter.
On 9 June 2026, Eugène Rwamucyo, previously sentenced to 27 years in prison for complicity in the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, returned before the Paris Criminal Court on appeal under the principle of universal jurisdiction.
On 12 June 2026, the UN Security Council discussed the future of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals. Members considered measures to preserve the legacy and essential functions of the tribunals for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia as the mechanism moves toward closure.
