Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has announced Maldives will support the Rohingya people in the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Delivering the statement at the High-Level Segment of the 43rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Foreign Minister Shahid announced Maldives will file a written declaration of intervention at the ICJ in support of the Rohingya people. The foreign minister said in line with the decision taken at the 14th Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Maldives intends to extend its support for the efforts to seek accountability for the acts of genocide committed against the Rohingya people. He said the decision to file the declaration was taken after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih along with the cabinet concluded there are strong grounds to intervene in the case submitted by Gambia in support of the Rohingya people.
Amal Clooney of Doughty Street Chambers has been appointed to represent Maldives in the case before the ICJ. Noting Clooney is an accomplished barrister and humanitarian lawyer, Minister Shahid expressed Maldives is confident in her ability to seek accountability and judicial remedies for the displaced Rohingya people.
Furthermore, the foreign minister noted Maldives has been a consistent advocate for accountability against the atrocities committed against the Rohingya people and welcomed the unanimous decision of the ICJ to order provisional measures to secure the rights of victims and prevent the destruction of evidence in the ongoing case. He assured Maldives will continue to advocate on humanitarian grounds to bring the perpetrators of genocide to justice and calls for the unhindered and safe return of the Rohingya people to their homes.