Weekly News Recap (11 - 17 May 2026)
© Photo by Climate Centre via Flickr
International Justice Section
ICC: Unseals Arrest Warrant for Senator Ronald Dela Rosa Over Duterte Drug War Killings
Philippines: Senator Ronald Dela Rosa Files Urgent Supreme Court Appeal Against ICC Arrest Warrant
Bolivia: Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Former President Evo Morales
Kyrgyzstan: Former Security Chief Charged Over Alleged Coup Plot
Nigeria: Court Sentences Former Minister Saleh Mamman to 75 Years for Corruption
Iran: Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence in Alleged Israeli Espionage Case
Bahrain: Court Sentences Three Individuals to Life Imprisonment Over Alleged IRGC Links
IRMCT: Rejects Ratko Mladić Request for Early Release
International Peace & Security Section
OHCHR: Warns Drone Strikes Now the Leading Cause of Civilian Deaths in Sudan’s Civil War
UNAMA: Reports At Least 372 Afghan Civilians Killed in Afghanistan–Pakistan Clashes in 2026
Yemen: Parties Reach Deal to Release More Than 1,600 Conflict-Related Detainees
DRC: HRW Reports M23 and Rwandan Forces Committed Widespread Atrocities During Occupation of Uvira
Palestine: Millions Mark the Anniversary of Nakba Amid Ongoing Violence
International Justice Section
ICC: Unseals Arrest Warrant for Senator Ronald Dela Rosa Over Duterte Drug War Killings
On 11 May 2026, the International Criminal Court (ICC) unsealed an arrest warrant issued by Pre-Trial Chamber I for Philippine Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, citing alleged crimes against humanity in connection with former President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The warrant had originally been issued confidentially on 6 November 2025. The court determined there are reasonable grounds to believe that Dela Rosa, who served as chief of the Philippine National Police from 2016 to 2018, was an “indirect co-perpetrator” in at least 32 unlawful killings. The warrant relates to alleged crimes committed in the context of the Duterte administration’s “war on drugs” campaign, during which civilians suspected of involvement in the illegal drug trade were targeted. The Chamber asserted that this case falls within the court’s jurisdiction, even though the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019, as the alleged crimes occurred while the country was still a State Party.
Philippines: Senator Ronald Dela Rosa Files Urgent Supreme Court Appeal Against ICC Arrest Warrant
On 11 May 2026, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa submitted an Urgent Manifestation with Omnibus Motion (Urgent Manifestation) with the Philippine Supreme Court in connection with a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) related to alleged crimes against humanity during the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign. Dela Rosa requested a temporary restraining order (TRO), a writ of preliminary injunction, or a status quo ante order (SQAO) seeking to prevent his arrest, detention, or transfer. The appeal argues that the ICC no longer has jurisdiction over the Philippines following the country’s 2019 withdrawal from the Rome Statute and aims to prevent domestic authorities from enforcing the arrest warrant.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Criminal Complaint Submitted Against Milorad Dodik for Glorifying War Criminals
On 11 May 2026, it was reported that the Director of the Srebrenica Memorial Centre, Emir Suljagić, submitted a criminal complaint to the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina against President of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, for glorifying convicted war criminals and denying genocide. The complaint cites Dodik’s public statement describing Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide and other war crimes, as “the Supreme Commander of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) and a national hero.” In 2021, former High Representative Valentin Inzko utilised the “Bonn Powers” to amend Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Criminal Code to criminalise both the denial of genocide and glorification of war criminals. Suljagić stated the complaint aims to protect the legacy of Srebrenica from anyone attempting to “erase, deny, relativize, ‘contextualize,’ appropriate or otherwise undermine and distort the history of genocide,” regardless of the individual involved.
Bolivia: Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Former President Evo Morales
On 12 May 2026, a Bolivian court issued an arrest warrant for former President Evo Morales after he failed to attend a scheduled hearing related to allegations of human trafficking and abuse of minors. Prosecutors accused Morales of having maintained an unlawful relationship with a minor during his presidency and contended that he deliberately evaded judicial proceedings despite numerous summonses. Morales has denied the allegations, characterising the case as a politically motivated attempt to obstruct his return to national politics in anticipation of future elections. The court authorised the warrant following the former president’s non-appearance, allowing authorities to take measures to secure his attendance before the tribunal. The developments have heightened political tensions in Bolivia, where Morales continues to wield significant influence, despite divisions within the ruling political movement. Supporters of the former president have condemned the prosecution as an example of selective justice, while critics argue that the case underscores the necessity of accountability regardless of political stature.
Kyrgyzstan: Former Security Chief Charged Over Alleged Coup Plot
On 12 May 2026, Kyrgyz authorities formally charged eight individuals, including former national security chief Kamchybek Tashiev, in connection with an alleged coup conspiracy aimed at destabilising the government. Prosecutors accused Tashiev and associates of orchestrating activities intended to seize state power from President Sadyr Japarov, allegations that his defence team has denied. Tashiev’s legal representatives confirmed the charges and said the trial would be held behind closed doors, with no reporting. The charges carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence. This case has arisen amid growing tensions within Kyrgyzstan’s political landscape and follows broader efforts by authorities to investigate alleged plots against the administration. The identities of the other seven individuals charged are not yet known, but several allies of Tashiev who were ousted from their positions, including a former speaker of parliament, have been interrogated by investigators alongside him. The charges against Tashiev carry significant political implications, given his previous role overseeing state security structures and his longstanding influence in Kyrgyz politics.
Nigeria: Court Sentences Former Minister Saleh Mamman to 75 Years for Corruption
On 13 May 2026, a Nigerian High Court sentenced former Power Minister Saleh Mamman to 75 years in prison after convicting him on 12 counts of money laundering involving 33.8 billion naira (US$24.71 million), related to the diversion of public funds designated for national electricity projects. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused Mamman of funnelling significant sums of money through private firms intended for the development of government-funded power plants during his time in office. The court sentenced Mamman in absentia and issued a warrant for his arrest. Prosecutors characterised this case as one of the most notable recent anti-corruption prosecutions involving a senior former cabinet member.
Iran: Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence in Alleged Israeli Espionage Case
On 13 May 2026, it was reported Iranian authorities executed a man who had been convicted of espionage for Israel, following the affirmation of his death sentence by the country’s Supreme Court. The judiciary asserted that the conviction resulted from investigations by Iranian intelligence agencies, with the Supreme Court’s review confirming the sentence. Human rights organisations and international observers have consistently condemned Iran’s application of the death penalty in cases related to national security and espionage, particularly in instances where there are claims of coerced confessions, limited legal representation, and unclear judicial procedures. Iranian authorities have defended the prosecution as essential for countering foreign intelligence operations and safeguarding state security amid escalating regional tensions. This execution is part of a broader trend of espionage-related prosecutions in Iran associated with purported Israeli intelligence activities, which continues to draw international scrutiny regarding fair trial protections and the use of capital punishment in politically sensitive matters.
Bahrain: Court Sentences Three Individuals to Life Imprisonment Over Alleged IRGC Links
On 13 May 2026, Bahrain’s High Criminal Court sentenced three individuals, including a woman, to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of offences linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The convictions included coordinating with a foreign armed organisation to carry out hostile acts against Bahrain. Prosecutors claimed that the woman posted social media content deemed harmful to Bahrain’s military, political, and economic interests, and material allegedly supportive of Iranian attacks on Bahrain. The other two individuals were convicted of conspiring with the IRGC to carry out “terrorist and hostile acts.” The court also ordered the confiscation of seized materials. Bahraini authorities characterised the case as part of broader efforts to dismantle networks purportedly supported by Iran in the Gulf region. The ruling underscores the ongoing regional tensions between Bahrain and Iran.
IRMCT: Rejects Ratko Mladić Request for Early Release
On 14 May 2026, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) denied an application for early release submitted by former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić, who is serving a life sentence for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed during the Bosnian conflict. The tribunal determined that, despite evidence of Mladić’s declining health, the severity and scale of his offences outweighed the humanitarian considerations presented by his defence team. Mladić was convicted for his involvement in atrocities during the 1992–1995 Bosnian war, including the genocide of over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in Srebrenica, as well as the prolonged campaign of terror against civilians during the siege of Sarajevo. His defence lawyers argued that his deteriorating medical condition warranted compassionate release, while the tribunal concluded that the severity of his crimes outweighed the humanitarian considerations. In dismissing the request, the IRMCT reaffirmed that the exceptional nature of Mladić’s crimes remained fundamental to the ongoing enforcement of his sentence.
https://www.irmct.org/sites/default/files/case_documents/MSC54435R0000666297.pdf
International Peace & Security Section
OHCHR: Warns Drone Strikes Now the Leading Cause of Civilian Deaths in Sudan’s Civil War
On 11 May 2026, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) strongly condemned the escalating use of armed drones in Sudan’s civil war, warning that worsening drone warfare risks pushing the conflict into an even deadlier phase. High Commissioner Volker Türk reported that findings by the OHCHR’s Sudan team showed drone strikes were responsible for at least 880 civilian deaths between January and April 2026, representing more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths documented during that period. The majority of deaths were recorded in the Kordofan region, where both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have repeatedly struck civilian objects, including markets targeted in at least 28 separate attacks and health facilities struck at least 12 times. On 4 May, a drone strike on Khartoum International Airport disrupted all flights, while further attacks across Khartoum and its sister city of Omdurman compounded civilian suffering in the capital, where many displaced persons had recently returned. Türk warned that the approaching rainy season, which has historically brought a lull in ground operations, may no longer reduce the overall intensity of fighting given both parties’ growing reliance on aerial weapons. He called on the international community to adopt robust measures to restrict arms transfers, including increasingly advanced armed drones, to the SAF and RSF alike, and urged all parties to protect civilians and facilitate their safe movement from areas of active hostilities.
EU: Imposes New Sanctions Targeting 16 Individuals and Seven Entities Over Deportation of Ukrainian Children
On 11 May 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted restrictive measures against 16 individuals and seven entities held responsible for the systematic unlawful deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation and within temporarily occupied territories, bringing the total number of individuals and entities sanctioned by the EU in connection with these acts to more than 130. The adoption coincided with a High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, at which EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stated that over 20,000 Ukrainian children remain trapped in Russia or Russian-occupied territories, having been separated from their families and subjected to the forced erasure of their identities and so-called “re-education” programmes. Kallas characterised these actions as a deliberate Russian policy amounting to war crimes and pledged that the EU would continue raising the issue in every international forum, including at the UN, and would press for full implementation of the relevant UN General Assembly resolution on the return of children. She noted that Ukraine’s pilot tracing programme had already established the location of more than 1,300 children and had leads on a further 1,800. The UN Human Rights Council-mandated Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine had previously found that the deportation and unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.
UNAMA: Reports At Least 372 Afghan Civilians Killed in Afghanistan–Pakistan Clashes in 2026
On 12 May 2026, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that at least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 wounded during the first three months of 2026 as cross-border fighting between Taliban forces and the Pakistani military sharply escalated. According to the UN, the casualty figures are the highest recorded for the same period since monitoring began in 2011. The majority of deaths were caused by Pakistani air strikes, including a major attack on a drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul on 16 March that killed at least 269 people and injured more than 120 others. UNAMA warned the real death toll could be significantly higher, with many bodies left unrecognisable due to severe burns. The conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has intensified dramatically since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, with tensions erupting into what Pakistani officials described as “open war” in late February. Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of harbouring fighters from the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), allegations Kabul denies while accusing Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty. The UN said air strikes accounted for nearly two-thirds of civilian casualties, while other deaths resulted from cross-border shelling and targeted killings. Among those killed was a female NGO worker and her three-year-old son during Eid al-Fitr, despite a ceasefire agreement having been announced the previous day. Although talks mediated by China in April reportedly reduced the intensity of the fighting, deadly incidents have continued, underlining the fragility of the ceasefire and the growing humanitarian toll of the conflict.
OHCHR: Calls for Independent Investigations into Air Attacks by Nigeria and Chad that Killed Over 100 Civilians in Northern Nigeria
On 13 May 2026, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) called for independent investigations into deadly air attacks carried out by Nigerian and Chadian forces in northern Nigeria that reportedly killed more than 100 civilians. UN rights chief Volker Türk said he was “shocked” by reports that Nigerian military air strikes on a crowded market in Zamfara State on 10 May killed at least 100 people, including women and children, while injuring many others. Amnesty International described the attack as one of the deadliest incidents in the region’s long-running conflict involving armed groups commonly referred to by the Nigerian government as “bandits.” The UN also expressed alarm over Chadian air raids targeting Boko Haram positions in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen working on islands controlled by the armed group. According to reports, civilians in these areas are often forced to pay taxes to Boko Haram in order to continue fishing and surviving economically. Verified footage showed victims suffering severe burns receiving treatment in neighbouring Niger. The attacks come amid intensifying military operations by regional forces against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an ISIL-affiliated armed group active across the Lake Chad basin. The conflict has devastated civilian populations for years, causing mass displacement and repeated allegations of abuses by both armed groups and state forces. Volker Türk urged both Nigeria and Chad to conduct “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations” and stressed that military operations must comply with international humanitarian law, particularly the obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. The Nigerian military has denied reports of mass civilian casualties, insisting its strikes targeted armed fighters based on intelligence assessments.
Yemen: Parties Reach Deal to Release More Than 1,600 Conflict-Related Detainees
On 14 May 2026, the UN Secretary-General welcomed an agreement between the parties to the conflict in Yemen to release more than 1,600 conflict-related detainees, describing it as the largest such release agreed upon since the start of the war. The deal was the result of weeks of direct negotiations in Amman, Jordan, conducted under UN auspices. The Secretary-General called on both parties to implement the agreement swiftly in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which co-chairs the Supervisory Committee established under the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, and urged them to work towards further releases in fulfilment of their obligations under that instrument, which requires the release of all conflict-related detainees. He expressed gratitude to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for hosting this round of talks, and to the Sultanate of Oman and Switzerland for facilitating earlier negotiations. The Secretary-General further called on the Government of Yemen and the Houthi movement to build on the positive momentum generated by the deal and engage constructively with his Special Envoy towards an inclusive political process for a just and lasting peace. He additionally urged the Houthis to immediately and unconditionally release all arbitrarily detained UN, non-governmental organisation, civil society, and diplomatic mission personnel, reaffirming that UN staff enjoy immunity from legal process in respect of acts performed in their official capacity.
DRC: HRW Reports M23 and Rwandan Forces Committed Widespread Atrocities During Occupation of Uvira
On 14 May 2026, Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report documenting atrocities committed by the M23 armed group and Rwandan military forces during their occupation of Uvira, the second largest city in South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Based on more than 120 interviews conducted across March and April 2026, the report found that M23 and Rwandan forces shot civilians attempting to flee as they seized the city on 10 December 2025, conducted door-to-door searches during which at least 53 people were summarily executed, raped at least eight women, and forcibly disappeared at least 12 individuals whose whereabouts remain unknown. The forces withdrew on 17 January 2026. HRW noted that the occupation began days after the signing of the US-brokered Washington Accords, and that the near-total absence of healthcare services during the occupation left survivors without timely access to treatment. The organisation called for criminal investigations into the documented crimes, including by the International Criminal Court (ICC), and urged Rwanda to cease its support for the M23. International partners of both the DRC and Rwanda were called upon to review their military and security assistance to Rwanda and to support the Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Human Rights Situation in the South and North Kivu Provinces, mandated by the UN Human Rights Council in 2025. The Rwandan government and M23 leadership did not respond to HRW’s preliminary findings.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/05/14/dr-congo-m23-rebels-commit-atrocities-in-eastern-city
Palestine: Millions Mark the Anniversary of Nakba Amid Ongoing Violence
On 15 May 2026, millions of Palestinians marked the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, commemorating the mass displacement and expulsion of around 750,000 Palestinians during the creation of Israel in 1948. The Nakba, meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic, refers to the systematic dispossession of Palestinians between 1947 and 1949, during which more than 400 villages and urban areas were destroyed or depopulated by Zionist paramilitary groups and about one third of the Palestinian population was forced from their homes. Many Palestinian families continue to preserve the keys, deeds and documents of homes as symbols of displacement and their demand for the right of return, recognised under UN General Assembly Resolution 194. The anniversary marked the third Nakba commemoration under Israel’s war on Gaza, where more than two million Palestinians remain displaced and confined to shrinking areas of the besieged enclave. For many Palestinians, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, continuous displacement, and destruction of homes are seen as a continuation of the Nakba, reinforcing fears of dispossession, demographic erasure, and permanent displacement. The anniversary therefore served not only as a remembrance of past expulsions, but also as a renewed call for justice, self-determination, and an end to the continuing displacement of Palestinians. The commemorations also came a day after the “Jerusalem Day” march in occupied East Jerusalem on 14 May, during which thousands of Israeli ultranationalists marched through the Old City chanting racist slogans including “Death to Arabs” and “May your villages burn”. Palestinian residents shut businesses and largely stayed indoors amid fears of violence and harassment. Activists and observers reported intimidation, vandalism, and assaults targeting Palestinians, while critics accused Israeli police of failing to intervene. The march celebrates Israel’s capture and annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967, a move considered illegal under international law.
https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2026/5/15/millions-of-palestinians-mark-78-years-since-the-nakba