The Gambia vs Myanmar: Landmark Rohingya Genocide Trial Resumes at ICJ

A small nation is standing up for a stateless people. In a courtroom in The Hague, the small West African nation of The Gambia has begun its final legal battle to hold Myanmar accountable for the alleged genocide of the Rohingya minority.

The Gambia Myanmar Rohingya Genocide Hearings Begin

According to Reuters, on January 12, 2026, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) opened hearings in a case that could redefine international human rights law. The Gambia's Attorney General, Dawda A. Jallow, told the bench that the Rohingya were "targeted for destruction" during a brutal 2017 military offensive.

The offensive forced nearly 750,000 people into neighboring Bangladesh. In a moving gesture, Jallow asked the refugees present in the gallery to stand, forcing the 15-man panel of judges to acknowledge the human faces behind the legal jargon.

Evidence of Genocidal Intent

The legal team for The Gambia presented harrowing witness testimonies from 2017, describing houses being set ablaze with families inside and systematic state-sanctioned violence. They argue that the scale of the atrocities indicates a clear "genocidal intent" by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar’s military).

Why The Gambia Is Leading the Charge

It’s a case of "universal conscience." Despite being thousands of miles away, The Gambia took up the mantle on behalf of the 57-memberOrganisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Experts suggest The Gambia's own history of repression under a former dictator made its people uniquely empathetic to the Rohingya's plight.

Myanmar's defense, led by Minister Ko Ko Hlaing, is scheduled to respond on Friday, January 16. The military government continues to deny the allegations, framing the 2017 events as "clearance operations" against armed insurgents.