Rohingya persecution: Lawyers request ICC probe

Lawyers have formally submitted a request to the International Criminal Court on Wednesday urging them to open a criminal investigation into continuing atrocities, including genocide, against the Rohingya people, reports The New York Times.

The request submitted by the group Shanti Mohila, or Peace Women, included an unusual annex: 20 pages of purple thumbprints, which are the equivalent of signatures from 400 Rohingya women and girls, most of them illiterate refugees driven out of Myanmar last year after thousands of Rohingya Muslims were massacred.

UN Security Council has been unable to refer the situation in Myanmar to the ICC due to opposition from veto powers -- China and Russia. 

ICC prosecution on April 9 sought a ruling of The Hague-based court if it has jurisdiction to investigate deportation of the Rohingya from Myanmar to Bangladesh, a possible crime against humanity.

On May 7, the ICC wrote to Bangladesh seeking its written observations on the matter to be submitted by June 11. Bangladesh is yet to respond to it, though the rights activists are urging Bangladesh to submit a strong observation, including evidence of atrocities, to the ICC.