Western countries have turned the Hague-based court against their \u201copponents,\u201d Khonya Mathonsi has told RT<\/p>\n
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has served as a \u201ctool\u201d for Western countries to target leaders in the Global South who challenge them, political commentator and Behind the News Network editor Khonya Mathonsi has told RT.
\nMathonsi was commenting on Wednesday\u2019s ICC hearing for former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, the 81-year-old\u2019s first public appearance in more than a year. Duterte faces charges of crimes against humanity over killings linked to his anti-drug campaign.
\nHe said the court disproportionately pursued figures from Africa and Asia while largely leaving Western countries untouched.
\n\u201cThe ICC was mostly [formed] to silence their opponents,\u201d he said, adding that \u201cit was used as a tool\u201d against people viewed as anti-Western, particularly in the Global South.<\/p>\n
Duterte was arrested at Manila airport in March 2025 and transferred to ICC custody in the Netherlands. He has defended his anti-drug campaign, saying he only ordered police to kill in self-defense. His lawyers have challenged the ICC\u2019s jurisdiction, citing the Philippines\u2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute. The court maintains that it can prosecute alleged crimes committed while the country was still a member.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
ICC claims jurisdiction over case in non-member country<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the ICC said Duterte \u201cshall continue to be detained,\u201d citing an increased risk that he could flee or interfere with witnesses and court proceedings.
\nMathonsi said Duterte had criticized the US and other Western governments and sought to run the Philippines without following their wishes.
\n\u201cThis is his punishment,\u201d he said, accusing the West of using financial pressure and sanctions against those who challenge it.
\n\u201cThe real issue here is that the West don\u2019t see themselves standing in front of the judges,\u201d he said, adding that there is \u201czero accountability\u201d for Western countries.
\nHe said Global South countries should consider establishing an alternative body to uphold international law, suggesting that such an institution could be developed within or alongside BRICS.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Western countries have turned the Hague-based court against their \u201copponents,\u201d Khonya Mathonsi has told RT The International Criminal Court (ICC) has served as a \u201ctool\u201d for Western countries to target…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38292,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t