Powerful states can use their influence to avoid accountability at the tribunal, while weaker countries remain more vulnerable to prosecution, Hikmahanto Juwana argues<\/p>\n
The international community cannot expect \u201creal justice\u201d from the International Criminal Court (ICC), University of Indonesia international law professor Hikmahanto Juwana has told RT.
\nJuwana argued that the tribunal has undermined its claim to universal justice by disproportionately targeting weaker countries while powerful states evade accountability.
\nHis comments came as former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte made his first in-person court appearance since his arrest in March 2025 on an ICC warrant. He faces crimes against humanity charges over alleged killings linked to his anti-drug campaign, which he has denied.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
Western powers use ICC to keep their former colonies \u2018in line\u2019 \u2013 ex-Duterte spokesman<\/p>\n
Juwana described the Hague-based ICC as \u201cnot a workable system,\u201d arguing that political power inevitably shapes its ability to operate.
\n\u201dThere\u2019s going to be a political domination of how the ICC will work,\u201d he said in an interview aired on Wednesday. \u201cThe big states may use [their] influence and force not to abide with the ICC\u2026 And it is because of that [\u2026] we cannot expect real justice to be delivered by the ICC.\u201d
\nJuwana questioned the court\u2019s claim to represent \u201cworld justice,\u201d noting that \u201cmost\u201d of those brought before it come from countries \u201cthat are not powerful.\u201d He argued that this imbalance was rooted in the ICC\u2019s creation, which he said was driven by \u201cEuropean countries, especially the Western European countries.\u201d From its inception, he added, the court appeared to target less powerful states, calling this \u201cthe failure of the ICC from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the inception of the ICC, it was as if they were TARGETING countries who weren’t very powerful \u2014 Hikmahanto Juwana Professor of International Law University of Indonesia to RT’This is the ICC’s FAILURE from the very beginning’ pic.twitter.com\/mhR4x3Hg7y\u2014 RT Intl (@RT_on_X) September 16, 2026 <\/p>\n
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression. It has 125 member states, but major powers including the US, China, India, and Russia, as well as Israel, remain outside the court and reject its authority.
\nWashington has sanctioned ICC President Tomoko Akane, along with judges, prosecutors, and other court staff, over cases involving US and Israeli nationals. Under President Donald Trump, it has pledged to \u201csystematically dismantle the threat posed\u201d by the ICC to US sovereignty.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: US pressuring African states to abandon ICC \u2013 Le Monde<\/p>\n
The tribunal has also faced accusations of political bias and selective justice from member states. Venezuela and Chad have taken steps toward withdrawal, while Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger recently began the year-long process of leaving the court, branding the ICC an \u201cinstrument of neocolonial repression.\u201d Burundi and the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
\nSUB What\u2019s going on with Duterte?
\nDuterte\u2019s arrest came after the Philippines withdrew from the ICC, but despite his lawyers challenging the court\u2019s jurisdiction, the tribunal maintains it retains authority over alleged crimes committed while the country was a member.
\nWednesday\u2019s pre-trial hearing marked Duterte\u2019s first in-person appearance before the court since his detention. He remained silent as judges discussed his health, evidence disclosure, and preparations for trial.<\/p>\n
Read more<\/p>\n
The new world won\u2019t be ruled by the ICC\u2019s bias \u2013 or Washington\u2019s overreach<\/p>\n
Duterte had missed earlier proceedings on medical grounds, with his lawyers arguing that cognitive decline had left him unfit to participate. His defense says serious memory problems prevent 81-year-old former Philippine leader from reliably recalling the past.
\nAccording to AFP, citing his medical assessment files, Duterte believes he is living in 2007 or 2008, thinks he is 84 or 85, and cannot recall the name of the sitting US president.
\nJudges, however, have allowed proceedings to move forward, with the trial set to begin on November 30. On Wednesday, the ICC ordered Duterte to remain in custody until then, citing an increased risk that he could flee or interfere with witnesses or proceedings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Powerful states can use their influence to avoid accountability at the tribunal, while weaker countries remain more vulnerable to prosecution, Hikmahanto Juwana argues The international community cannot expect \u201creal justice\u201d…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38360,"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-38359","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