Genocide against Rohingyas: ICJ to hold public hearings Feb 21-28

The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the UN, is scheduled to hold public hearings of the case concerning genocide against the Rohingyas in Myanmar, from February 21-28.

The Hague-based court in a statement today said the hearings will be devoted to the preliminary objections raised by Myanmar.

In view of the current Covid-19 pandemic, the hearings would be held in a hybrid format. Some members of the court would attend the oral proceedings in person in the Great Hall of Justice while others are expected to participate remotely via video conference, it said.

Representatives of the Parties to the case will participate either in person or by video link.

The Gambia opened a case at the ICJ in November 2019 Myanmar for failing to prevent or punish the genocide against Rohingyas.

About a million Rohingyas, who faced persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine State, are sheltered in Bangladesh now. The largest influx of Rohingyas to Bangladesh was in 2017 following a military crackdown that the UN said has "genocidal intent".

After a preliminary hearing, the ICJ found that their claims were substantial and ordered Myanmar to take provisional measures to prevent further acts of genocide in the Rakhine State.

On October 23, 2020, The Gambia filed a memorial of more than 500-pages in its lawsuit against Myanmar, showcasing how the then Myanmar government is responsible for the genocide against Rohingyas.

The memorial also includes more than 5,000 pages of supporting materials substantiating The Gambia's case.