the municipality of The Hague strongly condemned the violence The city’s college of mayor and aldermen called the riots “horrific and utterly disrespectful,” stating that the beautiful summer day on the beach had been ruined for both locals and visitors “The end of a lovely beach day was marred by groups of young people engaging in riots,” said Deputy Mayor Mariëlle Vavier in a statement “The police acted swiftly to disperse the crowds and ensure the safety of bystanders It is appalling that these youths turned their aggression toward the very police officers who were there to protect public safety.” The Hague has pledged to increase police presence at the beach over the weekend and security personnel will be stationed along the coast to maintain order The riots erupted when a group of several hundred youths clashed in the area around the Kurhaus and the beach, following what authorities say were online threats. The situation escalated when police intervened, and the crowd turned violent, throwing stones, bottles, and bicycles at the officers. As a result, one police officer and a police horse sustained minor injuries. The municipal authorities also advised individuals involved in the riots to come forward voluntarily. “Come to the police before you are identified,” the college of mayor and aldermen urged, as they noted that significant footage of the event had been recorded. The investigation is being closely monitored by Mayor Jan van Zanen, who, despite being on an official trip to Uruguay, is in regular contact with local police and officials. © 2012-2025, NL Times, All rights reserved. Photo: Depositphotos.comUS president Donald Trump is threatening not to attend June’s Nato summit in The Hague unless member states increase their defence spending according to German news magazine Der Spiegel Der Spiegel bases its report on European diplomatic sources is under pressure to raise its contribution adding that US defence chief Pete Hegseth discussed the issue last week with Germany’s defence minister Boris Pistorius Organisers of the summit told Der Spiegel they had not received any formal communication from Trump “We assume he is coming and all the preparations are focused on [his visit] going ahead,” a spokesman said Trump has suggested that Nato members should spend 5% of gross domestic product on defence The Netherlands recently agreed to raise defence spending in stages by €1.1 billion, which will bring the total to just over 2% of GDP The right-wing liberal VVD wants the figure to increase to 3.5% 90 ministers and 8,000 delegates are expected to attend the summit at the World Forum on June 24 and 25 Officials have described it as the “biggest logistical operation” in the country since World War II The major security operation will include closing off parts of The Hague, and people in the central urban belt are being urged to work from home on the summit days The budget for the event has almost doubled to €183 million We could not provide the Dutch News service without the generous support of our readers Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days We could not provide this service without you Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Allegations of crimes against humanity laid out against former Philippines president over his deadly ‘war on drugs’ Rodrigo Duterte has become the first Asian former leader to appear before the international criminal court where he stands accused of committing crimes against humanity during his notorious “war on drugs” which is estimated to have killed as many as 30,000 people The 79-year-old politician was allowed to follow Friday’s proceedings via video link from a detention centre after the presiding judge noted that he had endured “a long journey with considerable time difference” 3:19Rodrigo Duterte arrives in The Hague over drug war killings – videoAppearing before the court shortly before 3pm local time Duterte was informed of the crimes he is alleged to have committed Sounding frail and wearing a blue suit and tie he spoke briefly to confirm his name and date of birth told the court that his client had been “abducted from his country” adding: “He was summarily transported to The Hague For less legal minds it’s pure and simple kidnapping.” Medialdea said Duterte would be unable to contribute to the proceedings because of what he termed his client’s “debilitating medical issues” But Motoc said the court doctor who had examined Duterte was of the opinion that he was “fully mentally aware and fit” The judge set a pre-trial hearing date of 23 September to establish whether the prosecution’s evidence is strong enough to send the case to trial he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment Duterte was arrested amid dramatic scenes three days ago. Despite threatening a police general with lawsuits, refusing to be fingerprinted and telling officers “you have to kill me to bring me to The Hague”, he eventually boarded the plane that arrived in the Netherlands on Wednesday As he landed in The Hague, the former leader was calm and appeared to accept responsibility for his actions saying in a Facebook video: “I have been telling the police The current president, Ferdinand Marcos, and the vice-president, Sara Duterte – who is Rodrigo’s daughter – are at loggerheads, with the latter facing an impeachment trial over charges including an alleged assassination plot against Marcos. Read moreSara Duterte travelled to the Netherlands to support her father whose arrest she has described as “oppression and persecution” The Duterte family had sought an emergency injunction from the supreme court to stop his transfer Speaking to supporters and reporters outside the court on Friday morning she said she was hoping to visit her father and to have the hearing moved “We are praying and hoping that the court will grant our request to move the initial appearance just so that we can properly sit down with the former president and discuss the legal strategies since we haven’t talked to him yet,” she told Agence France-Presse Estimates of the death toll under his administration rule vary: the national police put the number at 6,000 people while human rights groups claim the true figure is five times higher urban areas who were gunned down in the streets Even as his tactics provoked international horror he remained highly popular at home throughout his presidency While his arrest has been celebrated by rights groups and the families of the victims of the “war on drugs” it has also prompted some protests in his strongholds of Mindanao and the Visayas Duterte, who appeared before a senate inquiry into the drugs war killings last year Campaigners and victims of his crackdowns hope that Duterte’s arrest will finally result in him facing justice for his alleged crimes Amnesty International’s south-east Asia researcher said Friday’s hearing proved that no one was above the law “The very institution that former President Duterte mocked will now try him for murder as a crime against humanity,” she said “This is a symbolic moment and a day of hope for families of victims and human rights defenders who have for years fought tirelessly for justice despite grave risks to their lives and safety.” has hailed Duterte’s arrest as a key moment for victims and international justice as a whole “Many say that international law is not as strong as we want international law is not as weak as some may think,” Khan said “When we come together … when we build partnerships The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague convened Monday to deliver its decision in a case brought by Sudan against the United Arab Emirates accusing the Gulf nation of aiding genocide in the ongoing conflict between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Sudan alleges the UAE supplied weapons and logistical support to the RSF especially the Masalit ethnic group in West Darfur Sudan’s acting Justice Minister Muawia Osman told the court that the violence “would not be possible without UAE complicity,” citing arms shipments and other support as key enablers of mass killing which erupted in April 2023 between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo’s RSF has created the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis Over 542 civilians have been killed in North Darfur in the last three weeks alone The UAE has dismissed the case as “political theater,” denying all charges and warning of the misuse of international legal institutions a senior official at the UAE Foreign Ministry said Sudan’s claims are “at best misleading and at worst pure fabrications.” A separate UN Security Council report released this week documented widespread abuses by all sides in the conflict and found no conclusive evidence supporting Sudan’s accusations against the UAE Emirati officials have also criticized Sudan for misrepresenting leaked excerpts from draft UN reports to support its legal claims Legal experts say jurisdictional technicalities could ultimately determine whether the ICJ agrees to hear the case on its merits THE HAGUE, Netherlands—29 April 2025—The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in partnership with the City of The Hague has opened a call for nominations for the 2025 OPCW-The Hague Award. Full details of the eligibility criteria and requirements for nominations, as well as the online nomination form, are now available on the OPCW official website Established in 2014, the Award extends the legacy of the OPCW’s 2013 Nobel Peace Prize ‘for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons’ The Award is part of the OPCW’s ongoing effort to highlight significant contributions made by individuals and organisations and civil society to achieve a world free of chemical weapons The Award recognises significant contributions to areas related to the Chemical Weapons Convention The €90,000 cash prize may be awarded to up to three recipients each of whom will receive a share of the total Nominations are being accepted until 31 August 2025 Ambassador Fernando Arias remarked: “Achieving a world free of chemical weapons is a collective global endeavour involving many stakeholders and efforts The OPCW-The Hague Award is an important platform to honour these efforts.” The Award was established in partnership with the City of The Hague which hosts the OPCW’s headquarters and is hailed as the international city of peace and justice underscored: “The OPCW-The Hague Award recognises those making a real contribution towards a safer world As the international city of peace and justice The Hague is proud to collaborate with the OPCW on this award.” The nominations will be evaluated by a panel comprising of the Director-General of the OPCW the Chairperson of the Executive Council of the OPCW and officials from the International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) and International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) An award ceremony will take place during the Organisation’s annual Conference of the States Parties to be held in The Hague from 24 to 28 November 2024 The Director-General added: “We are looking forward to recognising the diverse and noble efforts to uphold the global norm against chemical weapons bring visibility to chemical weapons issues and ensure that future generations approach chemistry responsibility.” the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ‘for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons’ To preserve the legacy of this achievement the OPCW established the OPCW-The Hague Award in partnership with the Municipality of The Hague in 2014 The Award honours the efforts of individuals and organisations that have made an outstanding contribution towards a world free of chemical weapons As the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention oversees the global endeavour to permanently eliminate chemical weapons Since the Convention’s entry into force in 1997 it is the most successful disarmament treaty eliminating an entire class of weapons of mass destruction the OPCW verified that all chemical weapons stockpiles declared by the 193 States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1997 — totalling 72,304 metric tonnes of chemical agents — have been irreversibly destroyed under the OPCW’s strict verification regime The OPCW-The Hague Award Call for nominations Nobel Peace Prize The Dutch government will impose a no-fly zone over The Hague during the NATO summit on June 24-25 along with other security measures affecting most modes of transport The flight ban will go into effect on June 23 and will cover a 16-kilometer radius around the city, where “no air traffic will be allowed at all, except for safety purposes and medical emergencies,” Dutch authorities said Tuesday The meeting will be attended by around 45 heads of state and government President Donald Trump and many European leaders as well as some 90 foreign and defense ministers Some 8,500 people are expected to attend — including 6,000 government officials 2,000 journalists and 500 participants in a NATO Public Forum on the sidelines of the summit The combined effect of airspace restrictions and the use of an entire runway for state flights will reduce the capacity of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport by 10 percent during the summit Restrictions at sea will also apply in a zone out to more than 22 kilometers off the coast near The Hague with limited access guaranteed to authorized fishermen and tour boats during the three days before the NATO summit and a complete closure to shipping between 3 p.m Softer flight restrictions will apply to the area outside the no-fly zone and within a 93-kilometer radius of the summit site where only large commercial airliners will be allowed to fly if they have a permit Measures such as no-fly zones and shipping bans are not uncommon when many world leaders gather in the same place, as was the case on April 26 for the funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City which was attended by 170 state delegations The NATO meeting is the largest summit ever held in the country, according to Dutch authorities It will be the first NATO summit since former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte took over as the transatlantic military alliance's secretary-general following the departure of his predecessor Kyiv warns it can’t guarantee the safety of those attending Friday’s Victory Day parade in Moscow Estonian Commission official Henrik Hololei faces disciplinary measures after opening of internal probe into claims of wrongdoing Brussels is also worried about the risks to air safety posed by fake and uncertified parts installed in Russian planes British police investigate electrical substation fire that brought Europe’s busiest airport to a standstill Get quality reporting directly into your inbox Cemil Önal was murdered in the Netherlands Before Cemil Önal was murdered in the Netherlands this week, he warned authorities his life was in danger due to his knowledge of bribes paid to Turkish politicians on behalf of an alleged illegal gambling syndicate, Follow the Money reported Friday Önal was gunned down on Thursday evening on the terrace of a hotel in the southern town of Rijswijk “We can hereby confirm that the victim is 41-year-old Cemil Önal,” said Michelle Molenaar a spokesperson for the Dutch National Police “The investigation into the circumstances and the suspect is in full swing A Large-Scale Investigation Team has also been set up for this purpose,” she told Follow the Money in an email Follow the Money said it had spoken on Monday to Önal who said he expected an attack on his life And his lawyer told Follow the Money that they had informed Dutch authorities “This serious threat has been reported to the Public Prosecution Service several times,” the lawyer said requesting anonymity due to personal security fears The Dutch Public Prosecution Service confirmed that Önal and his lawyer had reported the threat there were insufficient concrete leads for the Public Prosecution Service to be able to conduct further investigation," a spokesperson said "The Public Prosecution Service and the police have been in frequent contact with the victim and his lawyer about this." Turkish authorities had named Önal as the “mastermind” behind the 2022 killing of Halil Falyali Turkish Cypriot businessman who had allegedly generated about $80 million per month from illegal gambling operations had told journalists he had nothing to do with Falyali’s murder a breakaway territory that only Turkey recognizes as independent Önal told journalists he had made payments of roughly $15 million a month on behalf of Falyali’s organization to ruling party politicians in Turkey and northern Cyprus Netherlands police arrested Önal in December 2023 on an international warrant from Turkey and he had been fighting extradition to his homeland In more than 20 hours of exclusive interviews from prison, Önal laid out the inner workings of the allegedly illegal operation for journalists in unprecedented detail. A month after the investigation was published in February Önal told OCCRP he had been freed from prison Önal recently spoke with Bugün Kıbrıs newspaper in northern Cyprus repeating allegations about bribes and saying Falyali had made videos to blackmail politicians The claims sparked outrage from the government in Turkey where prosecutors have been investigating Falyali’s organization and indicted 240 people last December This story has been updated with comment from the Dutch Public Prosecution Service Support from readers like you helps OCCRP expose organized crime and corruption around the world you’ll be directly supporting investigative journalism as a public good You’ll also gain access to exclusive insights and benefits An escalation in violence involving major Turkish gangs has spilled over into European cities Authorities confiscated real estate and cryptocurrency from the suspects Armenia hands over two organized crime suspects Turkey wanted for years The top United Nations court on Monday dismissed a case brought by Sudan accusing the United Arab Emirates of breaching the genocide convention by arming and funding the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the deadly Sudanese civil war Judges found that the International Court of Justice lacked the authority to continue the proceedings While both Sudan and the UAE are signatories to the 1948 genocide convention the United Arab Emirates has a carveout to the part of the treaty that gives The Hague-based court jurisdiction “The violent conflict has a devastating effect resulting in untold loss of life and suffering necessarily circumscribed by the basis of jurisdiction invoked in the application,” Yuji Iwasawa World Court hears allegation of United Arab Emirates’ complicity in Darfur genocide Both Sudan and the UAE are signatories to the 1948 genocide convention has a caveat to part of the treaty which legal experts said would make it unlikely that the case would proceed “The court’s finding that it is without jurisdiction affirms that this case should have never been brought forward,” Reem Ketait a senior official at the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Around a dozen pro-Sudanese protestors gathered outside the court Sudan asked the International Court of Justice for several orders including telling the UAE to do all it could to prevent the killings and other crimes targeting the Masalit people In a hearing last month the UAE argued the court had no jurisdiction Sudan descended into a deadly conflict in mid-April 2023 when long-simmering tensions between its military and rival paramilitary forces broke out in the capital Both the Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s military have been accused of abuses a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula which is also a U.S has been repeatedly accused of arming the RSF something it has strenuously denied despite evidence to the contrary Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Non-subscribers can read and sort comments but will not be able to engage with them in any way. Click here to subscribe If you would like to write a letter to the editor, please forward it to letters@globeandmail.com. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate If you do not see your comment posted immediately it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted UPDATED: Read our community guidelines here We have closed comments on this story for legal reasons or for abuse. For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them Netherlands — The United States told the International Court of Justice Wednesday that Israel must provide aid to Gaza but the country does not have to work with the U.N The top court of the United Nations is holding a week of hearings on what Israel must do to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank following a request for an advisory opinion from the U.N said Israel had legitimate concerns about the U.N the largest provider of aid in the beleaguered Gaza Strip there is no legal requirement that an occupying power permit a specific third state or international organization to conduct activity in occupied territory that would compromise its security interests," Josh Simmons Simmons suggested other organizations could fulfill UNRWA's mission Israel banned the agency from operating on its territory Israel alleges that 19 out of UNRWA's approximately 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in Hamas' attack in southern Israel which killed about 1,200 people and set off the war in Gaza UNRWA said it fired nine staffers after an internal U.N investigation concluded that they could have been involved although the evidence was not authenticated or corroborated Israel later alleged that about 100 other Palestinians in Gaza were Hamas members but never provided any evidence to the United Nations Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hit back at the case I accuse the secretary-general and I accuse all those that weaponized international law and its institutions in order to deprive the most attacked country in the world of its most basic right to defend itself," he told a news conference in Jerusalem Israel is not participating in the hearings which spoke directly after the United States said that UNRWA's work was crucial for the Palestinian people and the agency was supported by the majority of the international community "The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated Millions of Palestinians in the (Gaza) strip as well as in the West Bank and East Jerusalem face existential despair," Maksim Musikhin Musikhin then suggested UNRWA deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for its work The hearings are underway as the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is nearing collapse and ceasefire efforts remain deadlocked medicine and other humanitarian supplies since March 2 saying it aims to push Hamas to release more hostages The World Food Program said last week its food stocks in the Gaza Strip have run out ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians Many families are struggling to feed their children the Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands accused Israel of breaching international law in the occupied territories killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations trying to save their lives," he told the court Become an NPR sponsor The United Kingdom delegation to the UN's top court on Thursday criticised Israel's two-month ban on humanitarian aid to Gaza as legally unjustifiable safe and unhindered humanitarian provision to the population of Gaza and must ensure access to medical care in accordance with international humanitarian law," Sally Langrish legal director and advisor at the UK's foreign office told a panel of judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague The UK was among 137 states that voted in favour of a UN resolution in December calling on the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on Israel's obligation to respect to the presence and activities of the UN and other organisations and in particular to ensure and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians the court is set to conclude five days of hearings in which the majority of states argued that Israel is in breach of its international legal obligations to facilitate the entry of aid to the population under its occupation arguing for an interpretation of international humanitarian law in favour of limiting such obligation due to military necessity and Israel's security US officials also questioned the impartiality of the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees suggesting that curtailing its work in occupied territory is lawful Like most interventions during the past week of proceedings the UK's delegation rejected the US arguments.  Citing articles 59 and 55 of the Fourth Geneva Convention Langrish said that Israel as an occupying power must facilitate the provision of aid to occupied Palestine If the population is inadequately supplied Israel is under a legal obligation to agree to relief schemes on behalf of the population under its occupation "Refusal to negotiate or agree to relief schemes will constitute a violation of Article 59," she told the court "The occupying power must facilitate relief schemes by all means at its disposal," she added Langrish said that Israel has no right to block other states or impartial humanitarian organisations from providing relief if the population has insufficient aid "It would be incompatible with a good faith performance of Article 59 to refuse an offer of assistance from an organisation that has capacity," she said "The United Kingdom considers that Unrwa is an impartial humanitarian organisation for the purposes of Article 59," Langrish told the ICJ The proceedings were prompted by Israel banning Unrwa in October an event that sparked global outrage and calls for Israel to be ejected from the United Nations The country was accused of violating the founding charter particularly the privileges and immunities enjoyed by UN agencies The laws effectively ban Unrwa from operating in Israel Israel's government has long been hostile towards Unrwa partially because it upholds the refugee status of Palestinians who were expelled from their homes in the 1948 Nakba and their descendants.  In late January 2024, Israel accused 12 Unrwa workers of involvement in the 7 October Hamas-led attacks alleging they had distributed ammunition and aided in civilian kidnappings But a UN inquiry published in April last year found no evidence of wrongdoing by Unrwa staff noting that Israel had neither responded to requests for names and information nor "informed Unrwa of any concrete concerns relating to Unrwa staff since 2011" Langrish quoted the UN report as saying "since 2017 Unrwa has established and updated a significant number of policies mechanisms and procedures to ensure compliance with the obligation to uphold the principle of neutrality" who examined Israel's obligations as a United Nations member cited the 1949 convention on the immunities of the UN as applicable in the case of Unrwa "The privileges and immunities of the United Nations are applicable to Unrwa a subsidiary organ of the General Assembly and must be respected at all times," he told the court Langrish highlighted the importance of the role of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in protecting victims of armed conflicts the law of occupation provides a special position for the ICRC that shall be recognised and respected at all times," she said She criticised Israel's denial of the ICRC's access to Palestinian detainees "There have been repeated credible reports of ill treatment of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli custody since the 7 October attacks," she said Langrish noted that the ICRC has not been able to visit Israeli captives held in Gaza "Hostages released have shared horrific stories of ill treatment and abuse that may amount to torture," she said but cannot serve as justification for Israel to deny the ICRC access to Palestinian detainees since October 2023." The full verbatim record for the proceedings can be accessed at the court's website here.  Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      Netherlands (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared Friday by videoconference before judges at the International Criminal Court days after his arrest in Manila on murder charges linked to the deadly “war on drugs” he oversaw while in office The 79-year-old Duterte didn’t show up at the court in The Hague but appeared on a video screen from the detention center where he is being held used the hearing to slam his arrest in Manila as a “pure and simple kidnapping.” He said Duterte “was denied all access to the legal recourse in the country of his citizenship and this all in the nature of political score settling.” READ MORE: What happened during Duterte’s chaotic arrest Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc set a pretrial hearing date of Sept 23 to establish if prosecution evidence is strong enough to merit sending the case to trial The judge said that Duterte had been allowed to participate in his first ICC hearing by videoconference because he had just come off a long flight listened to the hearing through headphones Medialdea said that Duterte had been under observation at a hospital because of health issues “The court doctor was of the opinion that you were fully mentally aware and fit.” Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidential term vary from the more than 6,000 that the national police have reported and up to 30,000 according to numbers from human rights groups met with supporters outside the court before Friday’s hearing and then visited him in the court’s detention center afterwards Duterte is a political rival of the current president Duterte was arrested Tuesday amid chaotic scenes in the Philippine capital after returning from a visit to Hong Kong He was swiftly put on a chartered jet and flown to the Netherlands After a series of medical checks on arrival he was taken to the court’s detention center Duterte’s supporters outside the court chanted “Send him back Send him back!” as they waited for his arrival activists marched in the Philippine capital region demanding justice for the thousands of suspects killed in Duterte’s brutal crackdowns Other groups set up large screens to allow families of suspects killed in the crackdowns to watch the ICC proceedings Prosecutors accuse Duterte of involvement as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in multiple murders amounting to a crime against humanity for allegedly overseeing killings from November 2011 until March 2019 first while he was mayor of the southern city of Davao and later as president of the Philippines According to the prosecution request for his arrest issued orders to police and other “hitmen” who formed so-called Davao Death Squads READ MORE: Philippine leader Duterte announces retirement from politics He told them “that their mission was to kill criminals and provided clearance for specific DDS killings,” prosecutors allege paid and rewarded the killers and “provided them with the necessary weapons and resources and promised to shield them from prosecution.” The document seeking an ICC warrant for Duterte said that prosecutors built their case using evidence including witness testimony Human rights groups and victims’ families have hailed Duterte’s arrest as a historic triumph against state impunity while the former president’s supporters have slammed what they call the government’s surrender of a political rival to a court whose jurisdiction they dispute “We are happy and we feel relieved,” said 55-year-old Melinda Abion Lafuente who she said was tortured and killed in 2016 “Duterte’s appearance before the ICC is a testament to the courage and determination of the victims and Filipino activists and journalists to pursue justice no matter how long it takes,” said Bryony Lau deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch “Other leaders facing ICC arrest warrants like (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu should take note that even those who seem untouchable today can end up in The Hague.” Duterte’s legal team said that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration shouldn’t have allowed the global court to take custody of the former leader because the Philippines is no longer a party to the ICC Medialdea said that “two troubled entities struck an unlikely alliance An incumbent president who wishes to neutralize and choke the legacy of my client and his daughter,” and “a troubled legal institution subject to delegitimization.” Duterte’s former presidential spokesperson told reporters outside the ICC that he has applied to be accredited as one of the ex-president’s lawyers he would raise what he said was Duterte’s illegal arrest by Philippine authorities and the ICC’s lack of jurisdiction over the Philippines which withdrew from the global court when Duterte was president The ICC judges who issued his arrest warrant say that the alleged crimes he is charged with happened before the Philippines withdrew from the court Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila and Ahmad Seir in The Hague contributed to this report © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte landed in the Netherlands Wednesday and was taken into custody at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, where he will face charges of crimes against humanity Duterte's successor and political rival, current president Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced Duterte's arrest late Tuesday in the Philippine capital Manila Duterte is accused of crimes against humanity linked to multiple extrajudicial killings carried out during his time in office as he sought to stamp out the country's drug trade — using often brutal tactics that the former president once celebrated Marcos — whose own father ran the country as an increasingly authoritarian leader from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s — said that an arrest warrant from the ICC prompted an Interpol red notice which in turn obliged Philippine police to arrest Duterte when he landed in Manila on a flight from Hong Kong "We followed the legal procedure that is necessary," Marcos said at a press conference late Tuesday A Gulfstream aircraft carrying 79-year-old Duterte — who left office in 2022 — stopped for several hours in Dubai on the long journey from Manila and where supporters gathered to protest outside the airport prior to his departure But local advocacy groups who long criticized his tenure and tactics celebrated the move. "We relish the victory of his arrest today," said the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers which represents victims of state-sponsored violence and their families "It shows how international law can be used to hold state officials accountable even when they occupy posts and perform functions that do not bring them in direct contact with the underlying acts." According to Amnesty International Duterte's violent crackdowns left up to 30,000 people dead during his presidency and earlier as the mayor of Davao City Duterte's supporters have already filed three petitions to the Philippine Supreme Court that demands he be returned to Manila The petitions argue that since the Philippines withdrew from the treaty that empowers the ICC The ICC prosecutor argues that since the incidents he and his team have investigated for Duterte's prosecution occurred before 2019 the court still has jurisdiction over the alleged crimes But Philippine President Marcos said the country's prosecutors and police had no choice but to honor the ICC warrant otherwise they risked losing international law enforcement cooperation in the future He also insisted that the ICC's investigation had not involved any cooperation from Philippine law enforcement and initially focused on the period between 2011 and 2019 Duterte's first appearance in the court will be scheduled now that he has arrived in the Netherlands Netherlands (AP) — A Palestinian diplomat told the United Nations’ top court on Monday that Israel is killing and displacing civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza in a case that Israel criticized as part of its “systematic persecution and delegitimization.” Israel denies deliberately targeting civilians and aid staff as part of its war with Hamas and did not attend the hearing at the International Court of Justice Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi accused Israel of breaching international law in the occupied territories killing and displacing Palestinians while also targeting and blocking humanitarian organizations trying to save their lives,” he told the court The hearings are focussed on a request last year from the U.N which asked the court to weigh in on Israel’s legal responsibilities after the country blocked the U.N agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory told judges that one of the Geneva Conventions “not only lays down that the occupying power must agree to relief schemes on behalf of the population but insists that it must facilitate them by all the means at its disposal.” Undersecretary-General for Legal Affairs Elinor Hammarskjöld said that “measures taken by the occupying power to ensure its security must be exercised in a manner that would not deny impartial humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations the ability to carry out relief schemes.” Hearings opened as the humanitarian aid system in Gaza is nearing collapse ending a main source of sustenance for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians as many families are struggling to feed their children The United Nations was the first to address the court on Monday 40 states and four international organizations are scheduled to participate Israel ally the United States is scheduled to speak on Wednesday could profoundly impact international jurisprudence international aid to Israel and public opinion “Advisory opinions provide clarity,” Juliette McIntyre an expert on international law at the University of South Australia Governments rely on them in international negotiations and the outcome could be used to pressure Israel into easing restrictions on aid Whether any ruling will have an effect on Israel Israel has long accused the United Nations of being unfairly biased against it and has ignored a 2004 advisory ruling by the ICJ that found its West Bank separation barrier illegal envoy Riyad Mansour told reporters that the Palestinians were seeking justice and want an advisory opinion “to allow humanitarian assistance to reach our people at the scale that they need most beautiful success story of multilateralism under United Nations.” READ MORE: Palestinians struggle to feed their families as Israel blocks Gaza aid for nearly 60 days Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hit back at the case of its most basic right to defend itself,” he told a news conference in Jerusalem He said the court hearing was part of a “systematic persecution and delegitimization” of his country In hearings last year in a separate case at the court the country accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza — a charge Israel denies Judges attend a hearing at The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the ongoing case regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories The organization has faced increased criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies who claim the group is deeply infiltrated by Hamas accused UNRWA of failing to act before the war against evidence that Hamas had used its facilities including by digging tunnels underneath them The official said UNRWA employed 1,400 Palestinians with militant ties Israel says some of those employees also took part in Hamas’ Oct attacks and Weissbrod said at least three of those employees still worked for the U.N documents and pictures of the alleged employees While Israel did not attend the hearings in The Hague the country sent a 38-page document elaborating on Weissbrod’s statement and arguing that the country does not have any legal obligations “towards any third parties” in the occupied territories attack in southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and set off the war in Gaza although the evidence was not authenticated and corroborated The Israeli ban doesn’t apply directly to Gaza But it controls all entry to the territory and its ban on UNRWA from operating inside Israel greatly limits the agency’s ability to function Israeli officials say they are looking for alternative ways to deliver aid to Gaza that would cut out the United Nations The agency has been providing aid and services — including health and education — to some 2.5 million Palestinians in Gaza Israel’s air and ground war has killed over 51,000 Palestinians which does not say how many of the dead were civilians or combatants Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants Associated Press writer Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed to this report Women’s National Team Will Face The Netherlands in The Hague on Dec 3 to Finish 2024 ScheduleMatch at the ADO Den Haag Stadium Will Mark 23rd and Final Game of Gold Medal Year for the USWNT; Match Will Come Three Days After USA Faces England at Wembley Stadium in LondonOctober 3 2024{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"U.S 3 to Finish 2024 Schedule","datePublished":"2024-10-03T12:57:00.000","image":"https://cdn.sanity.io/images/oyf3dba6/production/3d36db71f182310266f000004f558ff2f0157e9f-1920x1080.jpg?fit=max&auto=format"}CHICAGO (October 3 Women’s National Team will finish its 2024 schedule with a match against the Netherlands on Tuesday 3 at the ADO Den Haag Stadium in The Hague The match will come three days after the USA faces 2022 European Champions and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup finalists England on Saturday 30 at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London in the team’s penultimate match of 2024 The match against the Lionesses will kick off at 12:20 p.m London Time and will be broadcast in the USA on TNT and we’re going to take a lot of great lessons and memories from our time in France but now we are looking forward to continuing our process,” said U.S who led the USA to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics in just her 10th match at the helm “And in order for our team to keep learning and growing and for the coaching staff to continue to evaluate players Playing matches in Europe against some of the world’s top teams will be an important part of our journey.” The match against the Netherlands will be the first meeting between the teams since a 1-1 draw in group play at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Wellington captain Lindsey Horan scored the USA’s lone goal in that match off a corner kick from Rose Lavelle Three of the last four meetings between the teams have come at world championships starting with the USA’s 2-0 win over the 2017 European Champions in the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final as the sporting world emerged by the global pandemic and then again in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Olympics which ended with the U.S winning in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw through regulation and overtime Both of those matches were played in front of empty stadiums Of the 11 all-time meetings between the USA and the Netherlands including a match at this same stadium in The Hague in 2013 ADO Den Haag Stadium has a capacity of 15,000 fans Ticket sales for USA vs. NED will begin on Thursday, October 10, at 6 a.m. ET / Noon CET. There will be a special section in the stadium for American fans and those tickets will be available for purchase in the near future via a link in the KNVB Ticket Shop. Tickets will be available for 15 Euros. Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague on Saturday killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments Mayor Jan van Zanen said investigators were looking into “all possibilities.” Police said they are looking for a car seen leaving the scene in case that helps with the investigation Van Zanen said three bodies were pulled from the rubble Emergency authorities said four people were rescued and taken to the hospital The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies given that the ‘’slim chance of survival” under what’s left of the apartments He could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for READ MORE: Dozens of workers killed by explosion inside a coal mine in eastern Iran Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn One woman told local media that she thought an earthquake had happened Dutch authorities deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to the scene The team was previously used during the devastating earthquake in Turkey in 2023 a line of ambulances could be seen waiting nearby in anticipation of more victims The spokesperson for the local hospital said that they were on standby to deal with injuries The mayor called it “an extremely heavy day.” “I had expected a different Saturday,” van Zanen told a news conference Prime Minister Dick Schoof said in a statement he was shocked by the images of the disaster all other people involved and the emergency services who are now working on the scene,” he said The Dutch royal family expressed similar sentiments “Our thoughts are with those affected in The Hague after the explosion and fire this morning,” including those “who are afraid of the fate of their loved ones,” King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima said in a statement Associated Press journalists Aleksandar Furtula and Ahmad Seir contributed to this report On 31 January, representatives of nine countries convened in The Hague, Netherlands, to declare a global alliance, named The Hague Group, to hold Israel accountable under international law.  It was a historic precedent, marking the first such initiative since the Nakba and the establishment of Israel to coordinate state action to prevent violations of international law committed against the Palestinian people The founding members of the group are Belize Some of these states have already taken major steps over the past 15 months to defend and enforce international law South Africa, for example, brought a landmark case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague for alleged violations of the Genocide Convention in Gaza.  Several states in the coalition have later joined South Africa’s case at the ICJ Additionally, Namibia and Malaysia blocked ships carrying arms to Israel from docking at their ports while Colombia halted coal exports to Israel Colombia and Bolivia also recalled their ambassadors from Israel to protest its devastating war on Gaza.  But such efforts lacked coordination - and this is where The Hague Group is set to play a significant role 'The Hague Group isn't meant to be just a talk shop where states say they support Palestine' who is the co-general coordinator of Progressive International said the group has been formed as a reaction to the non-compliance of states with binding international legal obligations This is a reference to the pushback by a number of western states against the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 and non-compliance with orders by the ICJ to halt Israel's violations of the Genocide Convention “This group really began with the one-year mark of the genocide and the brazen impunity granted to Israel - from the neglect of the ICJ ruling and the the real defiance of the ICC arrest warrants,” she said The Netanyahu arrest warrant was the first in the court’s history to be issued against politicians from a western-allied nation the treaty that established the ICC in 2002 all state parties have a legal obligation to arrest and surrender to The Hague those wanted by the court.   The year 2024 witnessed a record number of legal cases in The Hague related to Israel’s conduct in Gaza including binding orders by the ICJ and the ICC arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant the ICJ issued three binding interim orders in the South Africa vs Israel case These include orders for Israel to refrain from acts that are prohibited under the convention and to prevent and punish such acts.  In its first order on 26 January 2024, the ICJ said that it was plausible that Israel had breached the Genocide Convention. As an emergency measure it ordered Israel to ensure that its army refrained from genocidal acts against Palestinians Then, following requests by South Africa, the court subsequently issued interim orders on 28 March and 24 May that called on Israel to halt its assault on Rafah and ensure the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians In its May order the ICJ also ordered that Israel ensure that UN investigators could enter Gaza to investigate allegations of genocide.   While the ICJ’s orders were addressed to Israel, third states have a duty under customary international law to prevent and punish genocide, even if it takes place outside their territory, as explained by the ICJ in the landmark Bosnia genocide case in 2007 That duty can be upheld by inducing Israel to refrain from breaches of the Genocide Convention and by conducting due diligence to ensure that any exports or assistance do not contribute to punishable acts under the convention.  the ICJ in its 30 April 2024 order in the Nicaragua vs Germany case confirmed the obligation on third states to ensure that arms exports are not used to violate the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law.  In another landmark legal development in The Hague, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion on 19 July confirming the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza and the corresponding legal duty on third states to refrain from supporting the occupation and to ensure Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law The UN General Assembly in September passed a resolution endorsing the ICJ’s opinion and demanding Israel and third states uphold their obligations as outlined by the court.  The UN Security Council also passed four binding resolutions during the latest conflict calling for a range of demands including increased humanitarian access an end to violations of international humanitarian law and for a cessation of hostilities while the US abstained from backing three of them.   In a world where states uphold their international law obligations and enforce rulings by international courts like the ICJ and the ICC continued to provide military and political support to Netanyahu's government the UN Security Council or the General Assembly with the sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump last week on the ICC and its chief prosecutor this was part of a "logic of punishment" adopted by the US towards attempts to hold Israel accountable.  "The US and its allies have spent 15 months funding their blood-soaked hypocrisy was clear for all to see," she said "Let us be very clear here. It is not a question of the US 'abandoning' international law. That it did well before the ICC sanctions of 6 February It is a question of the US 'destroying' any semblance of it." Likewise, when the Spanish government announced an arms embargo, the US opened an investigation under the guise of examining foreign trade that could levy millions of dollars in fines on Madrid "What we’re seeing now is a direct attack on the institutions of international law - to send a message yet again - daring to hold Israel and the US accountable," she added The Hague Group is committed to forming an alliance that would counter coordinated action by western states in support of Israel's military and government they pledged to uphold the ICJ’s orders and other international legal obligations The founding states also declared their intention to prevent the supply of arms to Israel in any cases where there is a risk of violating international law and to block the docking of vessels at ports within their jurisdiction where there is a risk that the vessels are used to transport fuel and arms to Israel.  “Vessels wear different disguises,” said Gandikota-Nellutla “They're not always listed as military vessels Military equipment is not always listed as military equipment The destination isn't always listed as Israeli defence industries,” she explained “But they're using ports and they're using logistics networks in our own countries to be able to transport arms to be used against the Palestinian people.” The Hague Group aims to coordinate among themselves to interrupt the global supply chain for Israel’s defence industries and to ensure such vessels are identified and do not reach their destination via their ports The inaugural nine countries are just the beginning More countries are expected to join the bloc in the coming months the negotiations that preceded the establishment of the group included more states than the list of nine “The reason for that is precisely this: that the Hague Group isn't meant to be just a talk shop where states say they support Palestine,” she added Joining the group comes with a real commitment to put the inaugural goals into effect via legislation and policies The International Criminal Court's decision to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Hamas officials has been met with outrage and condemnation from both the Biden administration and key members of president-elect Donald Trump's incoming team A senior White House spokesperson said that the US "fundamentally rejects" the move, while Mike Waltz, Trump's pick for national security adviser, said that the ICC "has no credibility" and warned the international court to expect a "strong response to the antisemitic bias of the ICC & UN once the incoming administration comes into office in January 2025 Some American defenders of Israel have gone further warning the ICC that its issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant would invoke a two-decades-old law that gives the US president power to "use all means necessary and appropriate" to liberate any citizen of a country allied with the US who is detained by the court "The ICC is a kangaroo court and Karim Khan is a deranged fanatic Woe to him and anyone who tries to enforce these outlaw warrants," Republican Senator Tom Cotton said on X "Let me give them all a friendly reminder: the American law on the ICC is known as The Hague Invasion Act for a reason The American Service-Members' Protection Act (Aspa) was included in the now little-remembered Supplemental Congressional Appropriations Act signed into law in 2002 by US President George Bush When the ICC announced its intent to pursue the arrest warrants 12 senators wrote a letter to ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan warning that if an arrest warrant is issued against Israeli leadership "we will interpret this not only as a threat to Israel’s sovereignty but to the sovereignty of the United States" "Our country demonstrated in the American Service-Members' Protection Act the lengths to which we will go to protect that sovereignty,” the lawmakers wrote which authorises the US president to use "all means necessary and appropriate" to free members of the US military and "covered allied persons." The law states that the term "'covered allied persons' means military personnel, elected or appointed officials, and other persons employed by or working on behalf of the government of a NATO member country, a major non-NATO ally (including Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan Human Rights Watch said its language implied that the US president had sweeping powers to fight the court "The new law authorizes the use of military force to liberate any American or citizen of a US-allied country being held by the court has refrained from directly citing the law in its condemnation of the court have cited the law in their calls for a forceful US response to prosecutor Khan who they believe is targeting the US’s closest Middle East ally "As that term 'The Hague Invasion Act' suggests, no one knows how far the ICC is prepared to go - or how far Americans are prepared to go to defend ourselves," veteran US diplomat Elliot Abrams wrote in a column in May Pro-Israel Republican Congressman Brian Mast was more cryptic "America doesn't recognize the International Criminal Court but the court sure as hell will recognize what happens when you target our allies," Mast said in a post on X back in May the US's ambivalence toward the ICC is a sign of its doublespeak who threatened to sanction ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and other court officials was the same lawmaker last year who advocated for the Biden administration to back the court's case against Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes "The Court is a dangerous joke. It is now time for the U.S. Senate to act and sanction this irresponsible body," Graham said on Thursday The most extreme aspects of the law get the most attention but the act has plenty of other more tangible impacts on US policy and can be traced back to the creation of the ICC the US was instrumental in drafting the Rome Statute But it has refused to join 123 other nations in signing the treaty to place itself under the court’s jurisdiction Aspa is a legacy of the decades-old tensions between the US and the court and imposes sweeping limits on cooperation between the two state and local US governments from working with the ICC It limits national security and law enforcement information the US can share with the ICC and even signatories to the court which can be used to facilitate its investigations and apprehend suspects.  The law restricts US participation in UN peacekeeping missions unless the US obtains immunity from prosecution for its soldiers Just months before the act was signed into law the US vetoed a six-month extension of the UN's peacekeeping mission in Bosnia because the Security Council refused to grant US troops serving immunity from the court The tensions over the renewal of the Bosnia peacekeeping mission were just one part of the US's tensions with the court.  The Obama administration in 2015 threatened its $440m aid package to the Palestinian Authority when it joined the Hague It also rejected its preliminary investigations of the US-led war in Afghanistan.  announced the shutdown of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation's office in the US after it tried to lobby the ICC to investigate Israel He warned the US could sanction ICC officials, saying no international court could take the place of what US President Franklin Roosevelt called America's "righteous might" who can blame it when “us” meant a record 24.5 million visitors last year with nearly 10 million spending at least one night there almost the equivalent to the population of Australia is a lot to ask of a city that is about the size of Liverpool which is why the Dutch capital launched an unusual advertising campaign in 2023 — “Stay away,” it begged Known in the Netherlands for its laid-back beach lifestyle rather than being home to the International Criminal Court the country’s third city hosted 1.4 million overnight guests last year And now they have somewhere new to stay: an independent luxury hotel called De Plesman Conveniently located in Scheveningen district De Plesman occupies the art deco former headquarters of KLM — the hotel is named after Albert Plesman the aviation visionary and first director of the national flag carrier It is the passion project of a local property developer and its owner has clearly thrown more money at it than is strictly prudent; the publicity people are tight-lipped about refurbishment costs The hotel’s restaurant Suus is housed in the building’s original staff canteenStyling was handled by Nicemakers the sought-after Amsterdam studio behind landmark openings in the city including Hotel de L’Europe and the Hoxton tells me that his aim with De Plesman was to respect the building’s “monumental unique character” while creating “something where we’d like to stay” That character is evident in the steps on the staircase which curve on the underside like plane wings and the spiral ceilings in the foyers that reference engine turbines “You couldn’t build something like this now,” Roll says What this means in practice is a hotel that is sleek yet quietly playful Behind a businesslike slab of art deco red brick a reception-lounge-bar space that spans the building has chequerboard wooden floors geometric-patterned fabrics that evoke those of airlines in the Fifties bespoke rugs and specially commissioned art photography featuring local scenes The mood is mid-century with its shoes kicked off — a nod to the easy-going glamour of the golden age of flying because the 102 guest rooms maintain the aesthetic: parquet floors kitchenettes in the suites styled after vintage Dutch designs Providing colour against off-white walls are fabrics in shades of dusky pinks plus ceiling cornices painted in — what else One of De Plesman’s 102 sleek yet characterful guest roomsPlesman’s former office is the top-end suite and it’s a beauty if you have at least £437 to spare for a night the bar has a beautiful green marble worktop and there’s a silver headboard and pink silk for the bed • The Netherlands’ untapped north coast makes a dream escape for foodies though — high ceilings and large windows lend space to even the smallest room; such are the benefits of an art deco building with glass walls like a stylised airport control tower with starters such as Basque beach crab with shrimps and fennel and mains including whole roast poussin with a jug of jus for the roast veggies (mains from £15) It was nicely abuzz during my visit — apparently The same venue affords bright starts to the day over excellent buffet breakfasts (£21pp) but there is a vast gym and bikes are available to rent The Hague received 1.4 million tourists last yearGETTY IMAGESYet it’s the price that stands out — try finding something of this quality for £100 in the UK and see how far you get That the former credits of the hotel manager include Soho Farmhouse and Gleneagles Townhouse tells you where the hotel sees itself just as the Hague isn’t solely a business destination “We’re the Barcelona of the Netherlands,” he adds the architecture and the creative little neighbourhoods.” What the Hague doesn’t have, of course, are huge visitor numbers — and that’s no bad thing. Just ask Amsterdam.James Stewart was a guest of De Plesman, which has room-only doubles from £100 (deplesman.com) Harper is a smart brasserie in the main square of the old townTwo openings last summer help to explain why the rest of the Netherlands envies lifestyles in the Hague which has tables on the main square (triangle The interior of the 18th-century building has been remodelled into a classy brasserie where an open kitchen sends out small plates including monkfish with miso glaze (mains from £10; restaurantharper.nl) a semi-smart beach shack with a menu of snacks and meals on Zuiderstrand Kids lark about on the dunes behind while grown-ups enjoy something chilled in front of an expanse of sand that feels much further than its 30-minute cycle from the city centre (mains from £16; strandhuis-mavi.nl) • Read our full guide to the Netherlands Hart Beach in ScheveningenWORCFLOWIf surfers featured in your mental image of the Hague The city has been the cradle of Dutch surfing since 1971 when an importer of O’Neill wetsuits brought over a few Californian boards has a museum at the family’s Hart Beach Surf Shop that includes boards once used by legends of the sport such as Greg Noll and Kelly Slater hanging among the rafters It also offers surfboard rental and lessons sun-silvered beach bar on Scheveningen (from £7 an hour) This winter Schuitema also launched the pop-up Kuuma Sauna at the bar (£12 for 75 minutes; hartbeach.nl) because the sauna closes from mid-May until the end of September — the Dutch laugh at the notion that the North Sea is cold in summer The Hague’s Mauritshuis museumALAMYYou can’t see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre for crowds holding up phones but at the Mauritshuis you’re eyeball to eyeball with Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and a rheumy-eyed Rembrandt among a cast of vivacious characters by Dutch old masters also including Rubens and Frans Hals (£17; mauritshuis.nl) In late February the gallery opened the free foyer exhibition My Girl With a Pearl comprising 60 takes on Vermeer’s work taken from a public call-out that attracted 2,700 entries For more art go to the Kunstmuseum den Haag which has a show of impressionist paintings depicting the Paris that rose in the late 1800s alongside a permanent exhibition of modernists — it’s worth a visit solely for its art deco building which feels as though you’re walking into a Mondrian painting (£21; kunstmuseum.nl) Become a subscriber and along with unlimited digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times you can enjoy a collection of travel offers and competitions curated by our trusted travel partners Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security Gentry Smith (center) visited the U.S Embassy in the Netherlands to meet with U.S along with Consul General Kate Nanavatty (left) Smith also attended the 2024 European Police Chiefs Convention at the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (or Europol) to discuss continued support from the United States in making Europe safer.  Photo courtesy of the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) 2025 (WAFA) — The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague continues its public hearings for the fifth day in a row on Friday as part of a week-long session examining Israel's legal obligations toward the United Nations and its agencies operating in the occupied Palestinian territories focus on Israel’s humanitarian responsibilities toward Palestinians where over 50 days of a complete blockade have severely restricted the entry of humanitarian aid amid the ongoing Israeli genocidal war A total of 44 countries and four international organizations have expressed their intent to participate in the proceedings 38 nations — including the United States Saudi Arabia — as well as the Arab League The ICJ hearings follow a December 2024 resolution passed by the UN General Assembly requesting an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations to facilitate the delivery of urgent humanitarian supplies to Palestinians and to avoid obstructing such efforts You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed Mauritshuis exhibition reveals how Dutch men hid in attic to avoid being taken to Germany in second world war who stored his bicycle and then disappeared upstairs It was 1944, and right under the noses of Nazi command, people were hiding in the attic of The Hague’s Mauritshuis museum from forced labour conscription – Arbeitseinsatz – under which hundreds of thousands of men from the Nazi-occupied Netherlands were conscripted to work in Germany The memories of 93-year-old Menno de Groot – a Dutch-Canadian who was that young boy – form an extraordinary part of a book and an exhibition of the secret history of the Dutch museum during the second world war “He must have gone all the way to the attic,” De Groot tells his granddaughter Kella Flach in a video for the exhibition referring to the man who he assumed had arrived to go into hiding The chance find of a logbook by De Groot’s father an administrator who from 1942 lived in the Mauritshuis museum with his wife and children inspired researchers to examine the museum’s history “People were hiding in November 1944 because of the Arbeitseinsatz but hiding in the Mauritshuis was hiding in plain sight,” Quentin Buvelot was first hidden in a bomb-proof bunker underneath the building and later stored in locations around the Netherlands The German-born museum director Wilhelm Martin played a careful role allowing the Nazis five propaganda exhibitions while also quietly resisting A newly discovered note on Martin’s retirement in 1953 revealed he was involved in supporting people who had gone undercover on Assendelftstraat and in the museum 36 loaves of bread were delivered … And we also found [an expenses claim] for a first-class carriage to Maastricht where he went with the Girl With a Pearl Earring under his arm on 11 May 1942,” said Buvelot Secret concerts were also held in the museum’s basement between 1942 and 1944 an author and researcher at the NIOD institute for War “They were held to support musicians who were cornered by their resistance to German measures especially compulsory membership of the Nazi Kultuurkamer,” he said “People who refused to become members were out of work.” who was hired to work at the museum when the janitor retired an underground newspaper,” Menno de Groot says in the exhibition then I put them under my shirt and went to where people were living and distributed them.” Free newsletterA digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day Life under occupation was a series of difficult choices a historian and NIOD specialist in looted art “There was little knowledge [before this research] about how culture could be a political instrument for resistance from the Netherlands but also a strong ideological instrument for the occupier,” she said every civil servant in times of war was confronted with huge dilemmas: do you choose principled resistance This article was amended on 13 March 2025 to clarify that under Nazi Germany’s Arbeitseinsatz it was Dutch men who faced forced labour conscription; an earlier version referred more generally to Dutch “citizens”. Regentessekwartier, The Hague, The Netherlands Eclectic Scandinavian Traditional 1 Keep up with our latest house tours each weekday with our House Tour of the Day newsletter By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and of course bikes outside of work,” Jim begins “But it didn’t take long to settle in to the city and I started to really love it The Dutch work/life balance was a total upgrade from London and I’ve met some really great friends along the way "And I’m quite proud of the cost saving to get them too They were purchased in the outlet section of a local furniture store in Zaandam (Loods5) I had searched for the table for months online and it was a bit of a gamble as I ordered it before actually moving in The Zuiver Storm table usually retails for €1000 and the Dutchbone Westlake chairs at around €250 each so I had originally budgeted a chunk of cash for that as part of the move But I managed to find them in the Loods5 Garage outlet store with massive discounts The table has a few large scratches on the top so was reduced to €125 So for just above the original cost of the table I was super happy with that and it also allowed me to allocate the remaining money to upgrading the plumbing and electric in the weeks that followed."“However Amsterdam’s house prices have also rocketed in recent years with competition for even the smallest of apartments at at all-time high I was also beginning to feel a bit stuck in my life The city was becoming smaller and I needed to shake the snow globe a bit again to keep things fresh,” Jim continues "I really enjoy cooking for friends and have collected a lot of cookery books over the years which I had aimed to use for cooking for friends around my future dining table but having a dedicated space to dine with more than one other person will hopefully make it a lot more of a social space for me in the future."“After eight years of renting in Amsterdam (and finally paying off my 20s) I decided to start looking for a place of my own My search also coincided with meeting my partner and after a year of juggling train timetables between cities to meet up I decided to move a bit closer to him in the Hague.”  I brought my IKEA Platsa closets from my previous apartment and have placed those in the dining room instead and I’d love to get proper built-ins installed soon but at least it gives space for my clothes while also not cluttering the bedroom."  Jim explains that the Hague is “a really nice mix of historical architecture and restaurants while also enjoying good travel connections to Schiphol Airport for trips home and 40 minutes to Amsterdam by train for work and the choice of housing stock and less competition for housing compared to Amsterdam made it a pretty appealing option the electrician advised against installing due to the sensitive nature of the plasterwork my partner found a really nice Sputnik light on an online marketplace and I’m hoping to get that installed soon," Jim writes the biggest draw for me was the Hague’s close proximity to the beach Growing up on Ireland’s dramatic Causeway Coast I’ve always hoped that a home by the coast would be possible one day.” so the Hague now thankfully offers me a really nice balance The apartment is around a 15-minute bike ride away from the coast — something I never dreamed of being able to achieve in the U.K This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity Share your style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form Read the commentsFiled in:Apartment The home you love starts here The home you love starts here Apartment TherapyThe wordmark for the Apartment Therapy brand.More From Us By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was "abducted" and illegally taken to The Hague to face murder charges his lawyer told International Criminal Court judges during his initial appearance on Friday accused of crimes against humanity over his deadly "war on drugs," appeared frail as he confirmed his name and date of birth via video link from a detention unit near the court Defense attorney Salvador Medialdea claimed Duterte was too ill to contribute to the hearing stating that his arrest and extradition from Manila to the Netherlands amounted to "pure and simple kidnapping." Medialdea argued that Duterte suffers from "debilitating" medical issues saying that a court-appointed doctor had assessed Duterte as "fully mentally aware and fit" to stand trial the court confirmed that proceedings would continue as scheduled Motoc scheduled a pretrial hearing for Sept 23 to determine whether the prosecution's evidence is sufficient to proceed to trial and a conviction could result in a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for Duterte the former Philippine leader is accused of "charges of the crime of murder as a crime against humanity" for his multi-year deadly campaign against suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines Official police data in the Philippines show over 6,000 people were killed in Duterte's drugs war but human rights groups say his deadly crackdown may have left as many as 30,000 dead Duterte's arrest this week sent shockwaves through the Philippines, deepening the rift between the country's most powerful political dynasties, the Duterte and Marcos families. Human rights organizations hailed his arrest as a step toward justice while his supporters continue to portray him as a leader who brought safety and progress to the Philippines On Friday, as Duterte appeared at the ICC, his supporters gathered outside The Hague Penitentiary Institution, waving flags and holding banners reading "We stand with Duterte." Meanwhile, Sara Duterte, the Philippine vice president and former leader's daughter, condemned her father's arrest as a "violation of Philippine sovereignty" in a social media post who helped facilitate Duterte's extradition defended his decision in a televised address saying: "This is what the international community expects of us." Ties between the two families — allies in the 2022 elections that brought Marcos Jr and Sara Duterte to the presidency and vice presidency — have since fractured It is the first trial of an Asian former head of state at the ICC The investigation covers alleged extrajudicial killings from 2011 to 2019 where he allegedly ran a "death squad" targeting drug suspects Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been "forcibly taken" to The Hague hours after his arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity during his deadly crackdown on drugs The 79-year-old was taken into police custody upon arriving at the Manila airport from Hong Kong on Tuesday morning local media in the Philippines reported that he was placed on a flight to The Hague where the International Criminal Court is based Sara Duterte said in a statement that the former president "has not been brought before any competent judicial authority to assert his rights and to allow him to avail of reliefs provided by law." Duterte has been investigated by the International Criminal Court since 2018 for his bloody "war on drugs" during his administration Over 6,000 people were killed in the crackdown although rights groups claim the actual death toll could be much higher has shown no remorse for his brutal anti-drugs campaign he told a Philippine Senate hearing that he offered "no apologies posted a video on Instagram showing her father questioning his detention "What is the law and what is the crime that I committed?" he said Duterte's former lawyer and presidential spokesperson has criticized the former president's arrest telling local reporters that it was "unlawful," given that the Philippines withdrew from the ICC in 2019 Duterte swept to power in 2016 with a key policy pledge to stamp out illegal drugs in the country Duterte earned a fierce reputation for his no-nonsense approach to tackling crime He promised to replicate this on the national stage the United Nations said that the crackdown largely targeted young men in poor and urban areas Sara Duterte poses for a selfie with city hall employees in Davao city with Duterte claiming that officers were authorized to kill only in self-defense Footage of the former strongman leader being accompanied through a Manila airport by police after his arrest has caused a huge shock in the Philippines "The reaction is deeply polarized," Cleve Arguelles While Duterte's arrest is a moment of vindication for those who have campaigned for the victims of the anti-drugs crackdown Arguelles says the former president still maintains plenty of support "Duterte's loyalists and political allies are mobilizing in defense of their leader framing this as foreign interference and political persecution," Arguelles said Duterte's detention comes at a significant time in Philippine politics with voters heading to the polls in May for the country's midterm elections One of the key talking points of the vote was set to be the impeachment of the former president's other daughter for threatening to assassinate President Ferdinand Marcos Jr if she herself were killed in politically motivated violence Duterte's arrest could now "reshape the political landscape" ahead of May's vote "How the next weeks will play out will be crucial in determining whether the arrest will re-ignite popular support for political change and reform or merely strengthen Duterte's grip on the national imagination," Arguelles said An earlier version of this story misspelled the Philippine city of Manila as Manilla US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s final press conference was interrupted on Thursday by two journalists who blasted him over the US’s support for Israel's war on Gaza before they were forcibly removed from the State Department's press briefing room The journalists repeatedly interrupted Blinken within the first 15 minutes of his hour-long press conference The outgoing Secretary of State asked both men to hold their questions until later but they persisted until security guards came to take them away “Why did you keep the bombs flowing?” Max Blumenthal shouted at Blinken from the back of the press room “Why did you sacrifice the rules-based order on the mantle of your commitment to Zionism?” As Blumenthal was escorted out of the room by security “You helped destroy our religion Judaism by associating it with fascism…your father-in-law was an Israel lobbyist your grandfather was an Israel lobbyist…Why did you allow the holocaust of our time to happen How does it feel to let your legacy be genocide?” He immigrated to the US and graduated from New York University in 1921 and its law school in 1924 He founded the American Palestine Institute after WWII a Zionist organisation that advocated for the economic viability of a Jewish state in Mandatory Palestine he appeared to direct his screams at Matthew Miller the outgoing spokesman for the US State Department “You smirked through the whole thing every day Blinken did not address Blumenthal’s remarks and went on with his statement “I’m happy to address questions in a few more minutes,” Blinken responded “I was sitting here quietly and now I’m being manhandled by two or three people,” referring to security guards who physically carried him out of the room “You pontificate about a free press!” he shouted Why aren’t you in the Hague?” referring to the city where the International Criminal Court is located Blinken remained silent through the heckling He then continued the press conference and took questions from several journalists in the crowd The Biden administration has faced criticism from pro-Palestinian activists scholars and human rights organisations over its support for Israel since the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel Blinken has specifically earned the scorn of protestors He has been frequently heckled at appearances in Washington and demonstrators camped outside his Virginia home for months throwing red paint on cars carrying his family Asked by one reporter if he had any regrets about not enforcing red lines on Israel Blinken said the Biden administration’s policies “were basically supported by an overwhelming majority of Israelis after the trauma of October 7” The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Tuesday concluded its second day of hearings on Israel’s humanitarian obligations in the occupied Palestinian territories including the Gaza Strip and the West Bank The hearings coincide with Israel's total blockade of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been ongoing for over 50 days, and the intensification of military attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians since the collapse of the ceasefire on 18 March The five-day proceedings which were prompted by a request from the UN General Assembly in December include submissions from at least 40 nations and organisations on Israel’s obligations concerning the presence and activities of the United Nations and other international organisations in the occupied Palestinian territories South African diplomat Zane Dangor kicked off the proceedings on Tuesday telling the court that the “world has failed the Palestinian people” and that Israel has been committing "persecution apartheid and genocide" in Gaza under the world’s “watchful eye” the gaze of Palestinians is directed squarely at the international community,” he warned He further condemned the "exceptionalism" enjoyed by Israel "from accountability and to international law and norms” “Any country or entity which seeks to hold Israel accountable for its inhumane and unlawful actions is subject to countermeasures and sanctions from which the UN and this court has not been spared,” he said Referring to Israel’s outlawing of the UN agency for Palestinian Refugees (Unrwa) in October which led Norway to lobby the General Assembly to request the case he said that the agency is “one of the latest casualties of Israel” He added that Israeli attacks on Unrwa are intended to “imperil the existence of Palestinians as a group” through the denial of Palestinian refugees’ right of return He concluded that the world must “save whatever is left of our humanity by ending Israel’s unlawful settler colonial occupation and its intentional starving of the Palestinian population” Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Saud Alnasser who is the director of legal affairs at the foreign ministry condemned Israel’s “flagrant violations of international law” in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem the court heard that Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied territory its continued occupation and its annexation of parts of that territory are flagrant violations of international law that must be brought to an end as a matter of urgency,” he said showing it considered itself above the law.” Turning to Israel’s “hideous conduct” in Gaza Alnasser said its “most ruthless application has been the siege conditions imposed over the Gaza Strip since October 2023” Meanwhile, Belgian legal advisor Antoine Misonne reminded the court of Israel’s obligation to cooperate with UN bodies including Unrwa in the occupied Palestinian territories as "Israel has no right to sovereignty over any part of the occupied Palestinian Territory and cannot exercise sovereign powers there by virtue of its occupation" In a subsequent submission, Colombian representative Mauricio Jaramillo Jassir said that Israel's actions have "put the Palestinian population in an impossible position" through the creation of a "dire humanitarian crisis" in Gaza and its blocking of aid to the Strip "Israel has made the Palestinian population subject exclusively to its power and has impeded the work of relief agencies which have been the only protection for the starving population," he said He added that this conduct is "inconsistent with Israel's status as an occupying power" a breach of international and humanitarian law and its obligations as a UN member told the court that the Knesset judgements against Unrwa "constitute an arbitrary withholding of consent to humanitarian organisations and in particular to Unrwa to provide humanitarian assistance and therefore a breach of international humanitarian law applicable to all occupying powers" She added that Israel's prevention of the presence and activities of the UN in the occupied Palestinian territory is "a violation of both the norms of international human rights both applicable to Israel and to the right of self-determination" The full text of the proceedings is now available on the court's website.  The group in their inaugural joint statement affirmed their position to uphold their obligations to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and ensure the right of Palestinian people to self-determination inviting states to take actions and policies to end Israeli occupation of Palestine The group also calls on nations to uphold an international order based on the rule of law and international law are fundamental to peaceful coexistence and cooperation among states Bank of England granted political independence Chinese Exclusion Act barred Chinese laborers from US The classified "homeland defense plan" outlines how the government would respond in the immediate aftermath of a strike on British territory by a hostile foreign nation This marks the fifth known prisoner of war (POWs) swap of 2025 and the 64th since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022 The suspension reportedly affected 11 shipments of artillery shells and weapons from Dover Air Force Base and a U.S Trump said that Russia has grown more willing to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine following a sharp decline in oil prices Poland will hold presidential elections on May 18 as the country faces key debates over social policy and national security that could shape its political trajectory The annual report said Russia is using aggressive tactics such as unauthorized airspace incursions and close encounters with NATO ships and aircraft including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 11:41 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power." About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression by Kateryna HodunovaU.S President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)U.S President Donald Trump will attend the NATO summit in The Hague in June Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on April 4 The announcement follows comments from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Trump is committed to supporting NATO and that the U.S Sikorski echoed Rubio's statement, adding that Trump remains committed to NATO's Article 5 on mutual defense and will attend the NATO summit in The Hague from June 24 to 26 Trump has long been a critic of the U.S.'s NATO partners saying he would not defend those who fail to meet defense spending targets directly challenging the alliance's principle of collective defense Trump has accused European countries of not contributing their fair share to the alliance's defense needs His administration has also signaled that its strategic focus is shifting from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region The Netherlands, which will host the summit, also expects to see President Volodymyr Zelensky in The Hague, Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp told European Pravda on April 4 Veldkamp said Zelensky will be invited to participate in the summit but it is too early to discuss the possible outcomes as negotiations with Russia to establish at least a temporary truce are still ongoing "It is too early to say what exactly will happen in The Hague But I expect President Zelensky to be there," Veldkamp said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that as of April 4 Ukraine had not yet received an invitation for Zelensky to attend the NATO summit in The Hague Kateryna Hodunova is a News Editor at the Kyiv Independent She previously worked as a sports journalist in several Ukrainian outlets and was the deputy chief editor at Suspilne Sport Kateryna covered the 2022 Olympics in Beijing and was included in the Special Mentions list at the AIPS Sport Media Awards She holds a bachelor's degree in political journalism from Taras Shevchenko University and a master's degree in political science from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy Class of 1975 Alumni Professor of Law and Director of Transnational Law Institute at Washington and Lee University School of Law participated in several book launches recently and Prague to lead discussions of his recent scholarship a law professor at the University of Exeter and Sensibilities” features 29 expert authors examining the dynamics of the five human senses in how atrocity is perceived and with reviews forthcoming in several top academic journals The conference explored children ensnared in violent situations including the “fights” in which they can become involved and securing economic and political well-being A sought-after expert on international criminal law, Drumbl also completed an interview with the justiceinfo.net blog on the fate of the International Criminal Court Founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Integrated Transitions If you know any W&L faculty who would be great profile subjects, tell us about them! Nominate them for a web profile. On March 11, shortly after arriving at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippine police took former President Rodrigo Duterte into custody The prosecutor general of the International Criminal Court (ICC) served Duterte an arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity citing ongoing investigations into the war on drugs launched during his presidency The current government of Ferdinand Marcos Jr has also maintained that as a member of Interpol the Philippines must comply with any Interpol red notice arrest request Neither are seen to be as charismatic or compelling as their father and sister Despite international criticism of Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and the legal troubles hanging over Sara President Marcos is being careful not to alienate Duterte supporters more than necessary The Marcos family owes part of its political comeback to President Duterte’s intervention and popularity Duterte ordered the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) This legitimized the former dictator’s aggrandized war record and helped rehabilitate the family name the UniTeam’s cracks became evident—Marcos Jr trusted advisors to top offices while keeping Sara out with Marcos sinking from 45 percent in September 2024 to 30 percent “satisfactory performance” in February 2025 and Sara dropping from 47 percent to 41 percent during the same time period Sara Duterte still holds significant sway over much of the electorate She remains one of the most popular candidates ahead of the 2028 presidential elections and her father’s arrest may solidify her base and bolster her political fortunes A surge in popular support could boost her preferred slate of senatorial candidates in the midterms or make more independent senators think twice about convicting her in July it is unclear whether Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest marks the end of his family’s time at the top of Philippine politics or the start of their resurgence Japhet Quitzon is an associate fellow with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary CSIS does not take specific policy positions and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s) © 2025 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies See Media Page for more interview ©2025 Center for Strategic & International Studies Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was being flown to the Netherlands on Wednesday to face an International Criminal Court charge of crimes against humanity linked to the deadly crackdown on drugs he oversaw while in office The arrest of ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity is an “important moment” for international law International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan said Wednesday has vowed to “continue to serve” his country despite facing prosecution by the International Criminal Court In a message recorded on the flight to the ICC in the Netherlands on Wednesday I will face it for our law enforcement and military.” The court on Wednesday took custody of the 79-year-old Duterte after he was detained in Manila on a warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity Filipino Catholic priest Flavie Villanueva as she holds the urn containing the remains of her son Angelo during an interment ceremony for victims of extrajudicial killings at the “Dambana ng Paghilom” or Shrine of Healing inside a cemetery in Caloocan City Supporters of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hold flags and banners during a demonstration outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen A motorcade believed to be carrying former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte arrives at the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte takes oath during a senate inquiry on the so-called war on drugs during his administration at the Philippine Senate A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague Relatives hold pictures of victims of alleged extra-judicial killings in front of a picture arrested former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte with a sign that says “Jail Duterte” during a press conference in Quezon City Llore Pasco wipes tears behind pictures of her sons who were victims of alleged extra-judicial killings as she attends a press conference a day after the arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte in Quezon City A relative sprinkles holy water on urns during an interment ceremony for victims of extrajudicial killings during the time of former President Rodrigo Duterte at the “Dambana ng Paghilom” or Shrine of Healing inside a cemetery in Caloocan City Relatives hold pictures of victims of alleged extra-judicial killings during a press conference a day after the arrest of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte in Quezon City A plane believed to be carrying former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is parked next to a bus at Rotterdam The Hague Airport in the Netherlands Supporters of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hold up their phones and wave flags during a demonstration outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen Supporters of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hold up their phones and wave banners during a demonstration outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen A supporter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte waves a flag as he demonstrates outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen Rights groups and families of victims hailed Duterte’s arrest called it “a crucial step in our continuous work to ensure accountability for the victims of the most serious crimes under ICC jurisdiction.” Supporters of Duterte criticized the administration of current Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos for arresting and surrendering the former leader to a court whose jurisdiction his supporters dispute An ambulance drove to the hangar where his plane was taken A police helicopter hovered close to the airport and later a black SUV was seen leaving the airport accompanied by police Crowds gathered outside the detention center for ICC suspects The Philippine Embassy in The Hague provided consular assistance to Duterte upon his arrival including winter clothing and care packages the Philippine Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued Thursday in Manila Duterte will face an initial appearance where the court will confirm his identity check that he understands the charges against him and set a date for a hearing to assess if prosecutors have sufficient evidence to send him to a full trial If his case goes to trial and he is convicted Duterte could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment “This is a monumental and long-overdue step for justice for thousands of victims and their families,” said Jerrie Abella of Amnesty International as it shows that suspected perpetrators of the worst crimes will face justice wherever they are in the world,” Abella added but our children who were killed did not have due process,” she said grieving relatives gathered in the Philippines to mourn his alleged victims “We are happy and we feel relieved,” said 55-year-old Melinda Abion Lafuente who she says was tortured and killed in 2016 criticized his arrest as illegal and sought to have him returned home Small groups of Duterte supporters and people who backed his arrest demonstrated on Wednesday outside the court before his arrival Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidential term vary from the more than 6,000 that the national police have reported and up to 30,000 claimed by human rights groups ICC judges who looked at prosecution evidence supporting their request for his arrest found “reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Duterte is individually responsible for the crime against humanity of murder” as an “indirect co-perpetrator for having allegedly overseen the killings when he was mayor of Davao and later president of the Philippines,” according to his warrant the ICC outlined the technical stages of the upcoming hearing and thanked Philippine authorities ‘’for their commitment to upholding international accountability mechanisms.’' Duterte could challenge the court’s jurisdiction and the admissibility of the case While the Philippines is no longer a member of the ICC the alleged crimes happened before Manila withdrew from the court That process will likely take months and if the case progresses to trial it could take years Duterte will be able to apply for provisional release from the court’s detention center while he waits though it’s up to judges to decide whether to grant such a request A video taken while he was on the plane was posted to Duterte’s official Facebook page just to give you the current situation,″ he said told reporters in Manila that the Philippine Supreme Court “can compel the government to bring back the person arrested and detained without probable cause and compel the government bring him before the court and to explain to them why they (government) did what they did.” former presidential spokesman and chief presidential legal counsel of Philippine former President Rodrigo Duterte shows a copy of the Habeas Corpus petition before filing it at the Supreme Court on Wednesday Marcos said Tuesday that Duterte’s arrest was “proper and correct” and not an act of political persecution criticized the Marcos administration for surrendering her father to a foreign court which she said currently has no jurisdiction in the Philippines She left the Philippines on Wednesday to arrange a meeting in The Hague with her detained father and talk to his lawyers Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the ICC in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability Appeals judges at the ICC rejected those arguments and ruled in 2023 that the investigation could resume The ICC judges who issued the warrant also said that the alleged crimes fall within the court’s jurisdiction They said Duterte’s arrest was necessary because of what they called the “risk of interference with the investigations and the security of witnesses and victims.” Associated Press journalists Aleksandar Furtula in The Hague Joeal Calupitan and Basilio Sepe in Manila and Molly Quell contributed to this report Legislation makes it illegal to advertise fossil fuel products and services with a high carbon footprint The Hague has become the first city in the world to pass a law banning advertisements promoting fossil fuel products and climate-busting services Legislation passed on Thursday spells the end of publicly and privately funded advertising for petrol and diesel aviation and cruise ships in the streets of the Dutch city It takes effect from the start of next year It is the first time a city has banned high-carbon advertising through local legislation. The decision follows a call by the UN chief, António Guterres, earlier this year for governments and media to enact such bans Some cities have already tried to limit the reach of high-carbon products and services through council motions or voluntary agreements with advertising operators. Edinburgh council agreed in May to ban advertising for fossil fuel companies cruise ships and arms on council-owned advertising spaces Companies selling these products will also no longer be able to sponsor events or other partnerships in Scotland’s capital It outlaws fossil fuel products and services with a high carbon footprint but it does not cover political advertising by the fossil fuel industry or adverts that promote a general brand Femke Sleegers of the Dutch fossil-free advertising group Reclame Fossielvrij which helped publicise a campaign for the ban said previous attempts to regulate fossil fuel advertising in the city had failed because operators refused to comply “The Hague shows the courage needed to tackle the climate crisis,” she said an associate professor in environmental psychology at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen said fossil fuel advertising undermined climate policy because it normalised and promoted unsustainable behaviour “Major government investments are needed to counteract the negative effect of fossil advertising,” he said for example to strengthen sustainable options and facilities such as public transport.” Free weekly newsletterThe most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment “More cities have a wish to implement the fossil ad ban through [an] ordinance but they were all waiting for some other city to go first Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor The top United Nations court on Monday will begin hearing from 40 countries on what Israel must do to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The top United Nations court on Monday will begin hearing from 40 countries on what Israel must do to provide desperately needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank Last year, the U.N. General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice to weigh in on Israel’s legal obligations after the country effectively banned the U.N Israel over a month ago again cut off all aid to Gaza and its over 2 million people Israel has disputed that there is a shortage of aid in Gaza and says it is entitled to block the aid because it says Hamas seizes it for its own use The Hague-based court has been asked to give an advisory opinion a non-binding but legally definitive answer in the latest judicial proceedings involving Israel and the 18-month war in Gaza and adjudicates disputes between countries can request advisory opinions from the court’s 15 judges though not all of them automatically recognize its jurisdiction Last year, the court issued an unprecedented and sweeping condemnation of Israel’s rule over the occupied Palestinian territories finding Israel’s presence unlawful and calling for it to end General Assembly sought the opinion after a Palestinian request The ICJ said Israel had no right to sovereignty in the territories was violating international laws against acquiring territory by force and was impeding Palestinians’ right to self-determination the court in another advisory opinion held that Israel was violating international law by constructing a barrier between Israel and the West Bank dismissed Israeli arguments that the wall was needed for security Israel has not participated in previous advisory opinion hearings but has submitted written statements South Africa went to the court last year to accuse Israel of genocide over its actions in the war in Gaza which began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed over 51,000 Palestinians which does not say how many are civilians or combatants The offensive has reduced much of Gaza to rubble Israel rejects South Africa's claim and accuses it of providing political cover for Hamas South Africa also asked judges to make nine urgent orders known as provisional measures They are aimed at protecting civilians in Gaza while the court considers the legal arguments The court has ruled several times on that request, including ordering Israel to do all it can to prevent death destruction and any acts of genocide in Gaza The proceedings are ongoing and likely to take years to reach a conclusion The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 as the court of last resort to prosecute those responsible for the world’s most heinous atrocities: war crimes While the ICJ deals with disputes between two or more countries the ICC seeks to hold individuals criminally responsible In November, a three-judge panel issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas’ military chief, Mohammed Deif, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza The warrants said there was reason to believe Netanyahu and Gallant have used “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeted civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas The warrant marked the first time a sitting leader of a major Western ally has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the global court of justice and has sparked major pushback from supporters of Israel Israel and its top ally, the United States, are not members of the court. However, Palestine is, and judges ruled in 2021 that the court had jurisdiction over crimes committed on Palestinian territory.