Displaying items by tag: arrest warrant

The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor plans to seek an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity in the alleged persecution and forced deportation of Rohingya Muslims. Over 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar for Bangladesh in a campaign described by the UN as having ‘genocidal intent’. The military junta denies the accusations, insisting that it has been targeting terrorists. This is the ICC’s first request for an arrest warrant against a high-ranking Myanmar official, with further applications anticipated. Its investigations have been hampered by Myanmar’s lack of cooperation and the escalating turmoil in the country since the 2021 military coup. Human Rights Watch says this is ‘an important step toward breaking the cycle of abuses and impunity which is a key factor in fuelling the military’s mass violations’. The ICC’s move comes amid huge criticism over its recent arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas leader: see

Venezuela’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has sparked international condemnation. Canada, the USA, and Brazil have all criticised Nicolás Maduro for his crackdown on opposition members following a contested presidential election in July. He was declared the winner with 52% of the vote but failed to release vote tallies. The opposition have presented records to back up their claims that Gonzalez won. When he refused to testify in an investigation, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Brazil, once supportive of Venezuela, expressed concerns and warned that his detention would be seen as politically motivated. The USA, long critical of Maduro, accused him of extreme measures to retain power. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has accused armed groups of killing 23 protesters after Maduro’s victory: see.