International Criminal Court says Mali, Burkina, Niger withdrawals undermine justice

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The executive body of the International Criminal Court Wednesday voiced concern over the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, saying it undermined the global pursuit of justice.

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The military-led West Africa states announced in September they were pulling out of the ICC, which prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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The three countries said in a joint statement last year that the court, based in The Hague, was “an instrument of neo-colonialist repression in the hands of imperialism”.

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The ICC’s Assembly of State Parties, the body representing the countries that make up the court, said it had “taken note of the situation with concern” and regretted the withdrawals.

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Countries leaving the ICC “risk undermining the collective pursuit of justice and weakening global efforts to end impunity”, the statement said.

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A total of 125 countries are currently members of the ICC but several major powers, including China, India, Israel, Russia, and the United States, have not joined.

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