Rohingya genocide case to proceed, UN court rules

World Court judges on Friday dismissed objections by Myanmar to a genocide case brought against it for its treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority.

The ruling paves the way for the case to be heard in full, reports international media.

Myanmar, now ruled by a military junta that seized power in 2021, had argued that Gambia, which brought the suit, had no standing to do so at the top UN court, formally known as the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

But presiding Judge Joan Donoghue said the 13-judge panel found that all members of the 1948 Genocide Convention can and are obliged to act to prevent genocide, and the court has jurisdiction in the case.

"Gambia, as a state party to the Genocide convention, has standing," she said, reading a summary of the ruling.

The court will now proceed to hearing the merits of the case, a process that will take years.