On 24 October 2019, LAW submitted written observations to the International Criminal Court supporting the prosecutor’s request to open an investigation into the situation in Myanmar. The submission supported the request of the prosecutor, setting out the views of survivors interviewed by LAW, including male survivors of sexual violence. The views of Shanti Mohila, a group of more than 400 Rohingya women and girls supported by LAW, were also detailed in the submission.
The submission highlighted the unanimous support of survivors of sexual violence for an ICC investigation into crimes that took place in Myanmar. These include the crimes against humanity of forced deportation, persecution and other inhuman acts, and the crime of genocide.
The prosecutor was authorised to open an investigation on 13 November 2019. In its decision, the Pre-trial Chamber highlighted that, “victims unanimously insist that they want an investigation by the Court.”
