Withdrawing from the ICC is a betrayal of victims across the Sahel who have nowhere else to turn for justice. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are facing credible accusations of war crimes against their own civilians, and ditching the court conveniently shields those in power from accountability. Dressing up self-protection as anti-colonialism fools no one — justice for atrocity victims matters more than junta politics.
The ICC has long functioned as a tool of Western imperial pressure, selectively targeting African nations while major powers like the U.S., Russia and China face zero scrutiny. France's documented meddling in Niger's security — including alleged coordination of militant attacks — exposes exactly the kind of neo-colonial interference these withdrawals push back against. Reclaiming sovereignty over justice is a legitimate and necessary act.
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