Myanmar genocide verdict: the ICJ ruling that could change international law

The International Court of Justice will deliver its judgment on 19 November at 10am local time at the Peace Palace in The Hague, deciding whether Myanmar committed genocide against its Rohingya minority. The ruling will be final and binding, with no right of appeal.

The case was brought by The Gambia in 2019 under the 1948 Genocide Convention, concerning the Myanmar military's 2017 violence in Rakhine State. Gambia argued that extreme brutality, pervasive sexual violence, targeting of children, and widespread burning and destruction of villages indicated genocidal intent. Judges heard closed-session testimony from Rohingya from Min Gyi (Tula Toli), Chut Pyin, and Maung Nu. Gambia's legal team cited hate speech, including military officials calling Rohingya "Muslim dogs" who should be made "extinct."

The ICJ has never found a state responsible for genocide. A ruling against Myanmar would be the first such finding in the court's history, setting a benchmark for how the gravest international crime is proven. The reasoning — not just the verdict — is likely to shape other pending cases, most pressingly South Africa's case against Israel over its war in Gaza.

Several governments, including the US and Canada, have already described the 2017 violence as genocide. But the ICJ has no means of enforcing its decisions, and the practical consequences will depend on how states respond.

For Rohingya survivors and their families, the judgment is seen as a long-awaited moment of justice after the international community failed to prevent the 2017 atrocities. Bangladesh continues to host more than a million Rohingya refugees.

The ruling is due at 10am local time on 19 November.