Stories from The Hague · Netherlands

The Criminal Assets Bureau and Europol have successfully seized €30 million worth of cryptocurrency.

Victims of the 1990s Bosnian war have appealed to a tribunal in The Hague to block the medical transfer of former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic. Mladic is currently serving a life sentence following a UN tribunal conviction for genocide. The appeal seeks to prevent his release from custody for treatment purposes.

Victims of the 1990s war in Bosnia have appealed to a tribunal in The Hague to prevent the transfer of former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Maladic for medical treatment. The appeal seeks to keep Maladic within the jurisdiction of the tribunal.

The Dutch government has moved to extend the DigiD digital identity contract with the company Solvinity for an additional two years, despite opposition from the House of Representatives. Concerns have been raised in Parliament regarding the potential acquisition of the cloud provider by a US-based entity. The government maintains that an immediate transition to a new provider is not feasible without risking continuity.

The Dutch national government has entered into a framework agreement with the European cloud provider Stackit. This deal aims to secure sovereign cloud infrastructure for government operations within the EU. The move is part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on non-European technology providers. The Dutch government has soft-launched a new open-source code platform designed for digital government services.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing intense scrutiny from the International Criminal Court regarding military actions in Gaza. Critics argue that the use of heavy munitions in residential neighborhoods may constitute war crimes under the Rome Statute. The discussion highlights the legal pressure on leadership to justify military conduct to avoid international prosecution. The International Criminal Court may be able to punish individuals, including Israeli leaders, for actions such as entering territories and destroying civilian property. The source stated these actions are subject to punishment.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) marks its 80th year of operation this week. Established in 1945, the UN's principal judicial organ serves to settle legal disputes between sovereign states. The milestone highlights the institution's long-standing role in international law and global diplomacy. The organization's logo features a panda bear named Chi-Chi, who was born in China in 1957 and moved to the London Zoo in 1958. Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands is noted as a figure associated with the organization's history.