Niger Formally Withdraws from International Criminal Court, Citing Selective Justice

Niger has formally initiated the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court (ICC), accusing the Hague-based tribunal of selective justice and exploitation. The West African nation submitted a letter to the United Nations on Monday, triggering its exit from the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty.

The move follows a wave of similar decisions by regional allies Mali and Burkina Faso, which also announced their intention to leave the ICC last year. All three nations have undergone military coups in recent years—Niger's democratic government was ousted in 2023. Since then, the ruling junta has shifted away from traditional Western partners and forged new alliances, including with Russia, whose President Vladimir Putin is subject to an ICC arrest warrant over the war in Ukraine.

In its letter to the UN, Niger stated: "While the court had raised great hopes among peoples who cherish peace and justice, it has been misused and exploited." The ICC expressed regret over Niger's departure, saying in a statement: "We regret any decision to depart from the collective effort to end impunity for the most serious international crimes."

Niger's withdrawal will take effect 12 months after the UN receives the letter, but any crimes committed before the official exit remain under the court's jurisdiction. Niger becomes the third country to leave the ICC, following the Philippines and Burundi. Earlier this month, more than 30 people were killed in an attack on the main airport in Niamey, the capital—the second such assault this year. The airport serves as the headquarters of the regional military alliance coordinating troops from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, highlighting the growing insecurity in Africa's Sahel region as armed groups increasingly target urban centers.