The International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor plans to seek an arrest warrant for Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, for crimes against humanity in the alleged persecution and forced deportation of Rohingya Muslims. Over 730,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar for Bangladesh in a campaign described by the UN as having ‘genocidal intent’. The military junta denies the accusations, insisting that it has been targeting terrorists. This is the ICC’s first request for an arrest warrant against a high-ranking Myanmar official, with further applications anticipated. Its investigations have been hampered by Myanmar’s lack of cooperation and the escalating turmoil in the country since the 2021 military coup. Human Rights Watch says this is ‘an important step toward breaking the cycle of abuses and impunity which is a key factor in fuelling the military’s mass violations’. The ICC’s move comes amid huge criticism over its recent arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas leader: see