A confidential legal document alleging that the Wagner mercenary group has committed war crimes by distributing footage of supposed atrocities in Africa has been presented to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as reported by the Associated Press on Monday.
The document outlines claims of torture, mutilation, extrajudicial killings, and cannibalism that the group allegedly carried out, urging the ICC to look into the actions of individuals associated with Wagner, along with the authorities of Mali and Russia.
As quoted by the AP, Lindsay Freeman, director of the Human Rights Center at the University of California, Berkeley, stated, “Wagner has skillfully utilized information and communication technologies to enhance and project its global reputation as mercenaries without mercy. In particular, their Telegram channel, which showcases their activities across the Sahel, serves as a stark public testament to their brutality.”
The report to the ICC contends that the dissemination of materials depicting these atrocities constitutes a war crime, in addition to the acts themselves.
“The true impact of these narratives lies in the intrigue and power they evoke,” Daniel Hoffman, an international relations professor at the University of Washington, was quoted as saying by the AP. “Whether it involves Wagner, local militias, or political figures, being linked to cannibalism, ritual murders, or mutilation equates to an association with an extreme form of dominance.”
Earlier this month, Wagner announced that it had completed its mission in Mali and was in the process of withdrawing from the country.
However, forces from the Russian Defense Ministry’s Africa Corps, which has taken over the operations of the mercenaries, remain present in Mali.
U.S. officials report that roughly 2,000 Russian fighters are currently in the country, providing assistance to the national armed forces in their efforts against insurgents and terrorist organizations.
In December 2023, the United Nations peacekeeping mission exited Mali at the request of the local government.
