On March 11, former Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte, was arrested on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Duterte was immediately taken to The Hague, Netherlands, where the ICC will prosecute him for murder as a crime against humanity related to the “war on drugs” committed from 2011 to 2019.
Over many years, Amnesty International has conducted multiple investigations into extrajudicial executions and other human rights violations by police and government officials in the Philippines. The Philippine government has acknowledged at least 6,600 killings at the hands of police. Amnesty has found that these acts reach the threshold of crimes against humanity.
Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest and appearance at the ICC gives hope to the families of victims and human rights defenders who have for years fought tirelessly for justice despite grave risks to their lives and safety.
