Amnesty International has expressed serious concern over the decision by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to leave the International Criminal Court. The rights group says the withdrawal by the three military-led nations will shield perpetrators of war crimes from justice and prevent victims from receiving compensation.
For more than ten years, Amnesty documented breaches of international law targeting civilians caught in conflicts across these countries, many of which fall under ICC authority, the organisation said.
"Walking away from the ICC means these governments are abandoning their duties under international law and justice frameworks," Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty's West and Central Africa director, told reporters.
Sivieude pointed out that the organisation has repeatedly urged Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to strengthen their courts so they can handle investigations, prosecutions, and fair trials for human rights and humanitarian abuses.
The retreat from global justice commitments will "put more civilians at risk and entrench the culture of getting away with international crimes," Amnesty warned in its statement.
The ICC presidency responded by saying the three nations' actions "threaten to damage the worldwide drive to achieve justice and combat impunity." However, the court clarified that leaving the Rome Statute does not free these countries from obligations they built up while they were members.
The three West African states signalled their plan to quit the ICC in September 2025. They filed their formal withdrawal notices with the United Nations between June 18 and 24, 2026.
