Amnesty International says the withdrawal by the military regimes of Burkina Faso, Mali and the Niger Republic from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, consecrates impunity and threatens to deny victims of war crimes justice and reparations.

The concern raised by Amnesty International in a statement on Friday followed the formal notifications that each of the three countries delivered to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, between June 18 and 24, 2026.

The three countries had in September 2025, announced their intention to withdraw from the Rome Statute of the ICC, which took effect the same year.

Responding to the withdrawals, Marceau Sivieude, Amnesty International’s regional director for West and Central Africa, said the decision by the three countries, “threatens to deny thousands of victims the possibility of truth, justice and reparations.

“For more than a decade, Amnesty International has documented crimes under international law committed against civilians during conflicts in each of these countries. Many of these crimes could fall within the jurisdiction of the ICC.

“Amnesty International has also repeatedly urged these governments to strengthen their judicial systems, so that they can investigate, prosecute and conduct fair trials for all gross human rights and international humanitarian law violations. However, impunity continues to prevail.  

“Withdrawing from the ICC amounts to a headlong retreat by these governments from their international law and justice obligations. It will also further imperil civilian lives and further enshrine impunity for crimes under international law.”

Amnesty International noted that conflicts between various armed groups and the three countries’ military juntas that overthrew sitting governments between 2020 and 2023 led to mass casualties among civilians over the last decade.

According to the organisation, the situation in Mali has been under investigation by the ICC since 2013, and withdrawal from the Rome Statute will not affect any matter under consideration by the court, even when withdrawal takes effect on June 23, 2027.

It, however, added that the situations in Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic are currently not publicly under investigation by the ICC.