The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has begun a landmark trial against Myanmar over allegations of genocide against the country’s Rohingya Muslim minority. The hearing, which started on Monday at 10 a.m. local time, will continue for three weeks. Myanmar has denied the genocide accusations. This is the first full genocide trial to be held at the ICJ, and due to sensitivity and confidentiality, the proceedings will remain closed to the public and media.

The case was filed in 2019 by the West African nation of The Gambia, accusing Myanmar of committing genocide in Rakhine State. The complaint was based on a 2017 UN fact-finding mission report that described Myanmar’s military operations as “genocidal acts.” The UN’s independent investigative mechanism chief, Nicholas Koumjian, said the case could set an important precedent for defining and proving genocide and determining remedies for violations.

The outcome of this trial may have implications beyond Myanmar, potentially influencing other genocide-related cases, including South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ over the Gaza conflict.