The ICJ’s Rohingya ruling will test the OIC’s promises

What the report says

Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Kyaw Win, executive director of the Burma Human Rights Network, arguing that an expected International Court of Justice ruling on Myanmar’s treatment of the Rohingya will be a test of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s promises. The article says the OIC has repeatedly expressed solidarity with the Rohingya and supported the genocide case, but that those statements have not been matched by enough practical protection for the community.

The piece, published on October 12, 2026, ahead of an OIC foreign ministers’ meeting in Baghdad on October 17, says Rohingya refugees remain in precarious conditions in Bangladesh and continue to face danger across the region. It cites Myanmar’s past military campaign against the Rohingya, ongoing statelessness and reports of forced returns or dangerous sea crossings. The author also refers to evidence gathered by human rights groups and survivors’ testimony presented in The Hague.

Win argues that if the ICJ finds Myanmar responsible for genocide, it would be a major legal milestone, but not enough on its own to change conditions on the ground. He calls on OIC governments to avoid forcibly returning Rohingya to Myanmar, strengthen refugee protection, maintain support in Bangladesh and consider diplomatic or economic pressure on those responsible for abuses. The article also extends that criticism to other governments in the region, saying accountability claims lose force when states send Rohingya back into danger.