Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have withdrawn from the ICC, accusing it of neo-colonial bias while denying rights abuses by their militaries.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), declaring they no longer recognise its jurisdiction. The military-led governments accused the court of pursuing “arbitrary prosecutions” and serving as an “instrument of neo-colonialist repression.”
The three Sahel states stressed they remain committed to protecting human rights “in line with their values.” Their stance mirrors earlier arguments used to justify pulling out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Human rights groups and UN experts have repeatedly accused the armed forces in Mali and Burkina Faso, along with allied militias, of committing war crimes in counter-insurgency operations. Authorities insist investigations are ongoing, though no findings have been made public.
The ICC, based in The Hague, prosecutes crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. While all EU members participate, countries including the U.S., Russia, and Israel are not signatories.