Myanmar defense counsel defends domestic justice system as genocide merits hearings conclude at the Hague

Mizzima

In the final hours of the landmark genocide merits hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Myanmar’s legal counsel, Professor Alina Miron, issued a robust defense of the state’s domestic judicial mechanisms, arguing that the country has already identified and acted upon 139 military and civilian cases related to the 2017 violence.

Speaking on 29 January, 2026, Miron contended that these actions demonstrate there is “no impunity” in Myanmar and that international intervention is unnecessary when accountability is being pursued through local courts-martial and civilian trials.

Myanmar’s Independent Commission of Inquiry (ICOI), Miron said, examined testimony not only from refugee camps but also from local communities, security forces and government records, mirroring the scope of the UN Fact-Finding Mission.

Alina Miron said that of 87 cases involving members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, 12 have already resulted in prison sentences of 10 to 20 years, adding that officers and soldiers implicated in incidents at Inn Din, Gu Dar Pyin and Maung Nu villages were court-martialed and punished with imprisonment, hard labour and demotion.

Lawyer Alina Miron also acknowledged the practical challenges involved in prosecuting cases through domestic courts.

Alina Miron said some police officers remain at large, while other cases are still under investigation due to ongoing regional unrest.

Alina Miron said that in cases such as the Chut Pyin village incident, investigations remain open despite difficulties in gathering testimony because local residents have not yet returned.

Myanmar’s lawyers appear to be seeking to ease international pressure by highlighting domestic justice efforts, arguing that international courts have less cause to intervene when accountability can be pursued at home.

The submissions on Thursday sought to restore confidence in Myanmar’s justice system, though acknowledgements such as police officers fleeing their posts stood out as notable admissions.