Domino Effect: 9 Countries Leaving ICC Following Duterte’s Call

More than 2 weeks following Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s call on other member states to leave the International Criminal Court, at least seven other member countries said they are going to heed Mr. Duterte’s call.

The first and only country from Middle East to decide was Afghanistan.

Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs Salahuddin Rabban said the ICC has zero achievement in his country despite decades of turmoil.

Brazil echoed the same sentiment and reasoned that although US is not a member state, the ICC always favor the Western power.

As expected, five African countries in Congo, Benin, Senegal, Namibia, and Nigeria said the ICC helped nothing to ease.

Duterte earlier called on countries that ratified the Rome Statute to follow his example and withdraw from the treaty as he stressed that the International Criminal Court would not have jurisdiction over him.

Duterte claimed that the Rome Statute, which established the ICC, was sponsored by the European Union because the bloc is making up for its “past sins.” He said the EU, which has expressed concerns over the deaths tied to his brutal war on illegal drugs, stole the oil of the Arabs and sowed division in the Middle East.