Australia’s Bond University has emerged victorious in the 13th edition of the International Bar Association (IBA) International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition, following an intensive week of legal advocacy before international criminal law experts in The Hague, Netherlands.
Organized by the Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies at Leiden University alongside the IBA, the annual contest concluded with the National Law School of India University finishing as runner-up, while Singapore Management University secured third place. Ayesha Khan of the National Law School of India University was awarded the Best Speaker Award.
“On behalf of the IBA, I warmly congratulate Bond University on winning the 2026 IBA International Criminal Court Moot Court Competition,” stated IBA President Claudio Visco. “This achievement reflects not only exceptional legal knowledge and advocacy skills, but also the dedication, teamwork and professionalism required to succeed at the highest level of international legal education.”
“At a time when the international legal order faces significant challenges, initiatives such as this competition play a vital role in fostering critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding and a commitment to the rule of law,” Visco added.
World’s largest ICC simulation
The 2026 competition solidified its status as the world’s premier English-language simulation of ICC proceedings, drawing over 550 students from 94 teams representing 48 countries.
Participants stepped into the roles of prosecution, defense, and victims’ counsel to debate complex international law issues. After navigating a written memorial phase and multiple preliminary oral rounds evaluated by over 400 global legal professionals, the finalists argued in an official ICC courtroom before an ICC judge and legal officers.
This year’s hypothetical case, The Prosecutor v Droganna Syrax, tackled contemporary challenges including war crimes responsibility, head-of-state immunity, and unlawful arrest consequences.
Key category award winners
At the formal awards ceremony on June 18, several teams and individual advocates were recognized for outstanding performance:
- Best Speaker (Preliminary Rounds): Klara Tebbe (University of Amsterdam)
- Best Overall Memorial: Hidayatullah National Law University (Raiput, India)
- Spirit of the Competition Award: Crescent University (Abeokuta, Nigeria)
- Best Newcomer Team: Hidayatullah National Law University
- Best Newcomer Runners-Up: Universidad de Buenos Aires (1st), Zhongnan University of Economics and Law (2nd), and Haigazian University (3rd)
To champion global inclusion, five IBA scholarships enabled participation from institutions in Armenia, Brazil, Kenya, Pakistan, and the Philippines (University of Santo Tomas).
High-level legal dialogue
The event opened on June 12, 2026 with keynotes from prominent figures, including ICC Registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler, who urged participants to meet international law’s current challenges with conviction.
Alongside courtroom simulation, participants engaged in academic panels, including an IBA discussion on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, as well as sessions exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on international criminal justice.
Preparations are already underway for the 2027 edition as the competition continues its mission to train the next generation of global legal leaders.
CONAN Daily 