France and the Mechanism conclude Convention on judicial cooperation

28 May 2026 – The Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and France have concluded a Convention on international judicial cooperation, which will enter into force on 1 July 2026.

The Convention establishes a legal framework for the Mechanism and the French authorities to cooperate on investigations of serious international crimes committed in Myanmar. The Mechanism will be able to request access to witnesses and information located in France, and France will be able to request information from the Mechanism for its judicial processes. Significantly, the agreement would allow information to be transmitted from French courts to the Mechanism, which had not been possible under previous law.

This marks an important step for the Mechanism’s work. International cooperation is essential to advancing accountability efforts, as national legal systems often require a specific legal basis to cooperate with international investigative bodies such as the Mechanism.

France has long supported international justice efforts and has experience investigating and prosecuting serious international crimes under universal jurisdiction.