Despite African and American Pressure, ICC Judges Former Philippine President Duterte

Rodrigo Duterte appeared in person before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on September 16, 2026, for alleged crimes against humanity related to his drug campaign. Although he had avoided several in-person hearings due to health issues, judges deemed him fit to participate in the proceedings. The trial, set to begin in November, concerns murders allegedly committed between 2011 and 2019. This hearing takes place amid withdrawals from the Rome Statute by several African states, criticizing the ICC for what they see as selective justice.