CHRO and CSW call for ICC arrest warrant against Min Aung Hlaing as delay reaches one year

The Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO) and CSW have urgently called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Military.

The ICC prosecutor applied for a warrant to arrest Min Aung Hlaing for the crimes against humanity of deportation and persecution of the Rohingya, committed in Myanmar, and in part in Bangladesh between 25 August 2017 and 31 December 2017, on 27 November 2024, however the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber has yet to make a determination on whether to issue one.

The call from CHRO and CSW comes as the Myanmar military junta attempts to impose sham elections in Myanmar, underpinned by escalating violence, indiscriminate airstrikes, systematic attacks on civilians to retake territory, and draconian legislation which criminalises criticism of the election by banning all speech or protest that disrupts any part of the electoral process. The junta’s sham election is a deliberate attempt to fabricate a façade of legitimacy and reinforce military tyranny, undermining the democratic aspirations of the Myanmar people and perpetuating cycles of violence.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘The year-long delay by the ICC’s judges in issuing an arrest warrant for Min Aung Hlaing is unacceptable. This inaction sends a dangerous message of impunity just as the military junta accelerates its campaign of violence and attempts to impose a fraudulent election. The time for deliberation is over. The ICC must immediately issue the warrant to protect the rights of Rohingya victims, apply crucial pressure to stop ongoing atrocities against civilians across the country, and emphasise that no military commander is above international law.’

Salai Za Uk Ling, Executive Director of CHRO, added: ‘It has been a full year since the ICC Prosecutor filed an application for a warrant of arrest, and yet Min Aung Hlaing continues to direct a brutal campaign against civilians across Myanmar. With elections looming and violence intensifying, the ICC must act. A warrant is essential not only to deliver justice for Rohingya genocide survivors but also to deter further atrocities being committed today.’

CHRO and CSW welcome the precedent set by the ICC in issuing a warrant for former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for atrocities in Darfur, affirming that no leader is above international law. The same principle must apply to Myanmar’s military leadership, whose crimes have been extensively documented by UN bodies, international NGOs, and local civil society.