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Former Philippine President to Appear Before ICC for His Actions During Drug Crackdown

The ICC's jurisdiction is not recognized by countries that are home to more than half of the world's population. These include Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Turkey. The ICC does not operate under the auspices of the UN.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was taken into custody Wednesday upon his arrival in Rotterdam, Netherlands, where he will appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding his actions during the drug crackdown, the ICC reported. The court had issued an arrest warrant for him for alleged crimes during his war on drugs. The first appearance of Duterte, 79, is scheduled for the coming days.

According to the ICC, there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that the former president committed a crime against humanity as an "indirect co-perpetrator" during an anti-drug campaign that left thousands of his fellow citizens dead. The crimes he is accused of were allegedly committed between November 2011 and March 2019. Moscow believes that the ICC "has not lived up to expectations and has not become a truly independent body of international justice.

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