A decision by the Pre-Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Court, issued in April 2026, to confirm the charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has reignited debate over the court’s working mechanisms and the criteria by which it selects the cases it pursues.
This development points to renewed questions over whether the court handles cases according to equal legal standards, amid criticism that it focuses on leaders from countries with less international influence, while other, more complex and politically sensitive cases face delays or stagnation.
In the same context, the court recently rejected a request to dismiss the case against Duterte linked to the “war on drugs” campaign that, according to the charges, claimed the lives of dozens of people.
At the same time, other controversial files are coming into focus, including cases related to Palestine, where Khaled El-Balshy, head of the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate, pointed to cases before the court concerning violations against journalists.
Meanwhile, the repercussions surrounding International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan continue, with disciplinary proceedings against him being expanded at a time when questions are mounting over the institution’s cohesion and credibility on the international stage.
