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Myanmar Denies Rohingya Genocide at World Court, Citing Counter-Terrorism Operations

Judges are taking evidence through January 29, including closed Rohingya testimony, with a final ruling likely months away.

A view of the courtroom as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) starts two weeks of hearings in a landmark case brought by Gambia, which accuses Myanmar of committing genocide against the Rohingya, a minority Muslim group, in The Hague, Netherlands, January 12, 2026. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw
FILE - In this Sept. 7, 2017, file photo, smoke rises from a burned house in Gawdu Zara village, northern Rakhine state, where the vast majority of the country's 1.1 million Rohingya lived, Myanmar. (AP Photo, File)
The International Court of Justice settles disputes between states

Overview

  • Speaking at the ICJ, government representative Ko Ko Hlaing called Gambia’s accusations unsubstantiated and said the 2016–2017 actions were lawful counter-terrorism.
  • Gambia’s lawyers alleged mass rape, killings, torture, and village burnings, arguing that Myanmar acted with genocidal intent.
  • The court is hearing three weeks of arguments in The Hague, with victim evidence to be taken in closed session before final statements.
  • The crisis forced hundreds of thousands to flee to Bangladesh, where roughly 1.17–1.2 million Rohingya now live in crowded camps at Cox’s Bazar.
  • Separate accountability efforts continue, including a pending ICC arrest-warrant request for junta chief Min Aung Hlaing over crimes against the Rohingya.