A quote card circulating online shows ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang saying:
โIn accordance with Rule 34, I am committed to supporting former President Rodrigo Duterte in his pursuit of the truth and ensuring a fair examination of the facts regarding his innocence.โ
VERDICT: False
What the quote card gets wrong
There is no official ICC statement in which Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang says she is committed to โsupporting Duterteโs innocenceโ or that she acted in accordance with โRule 34โ to do so.
In fact:
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Niang is responsible for the Office of the Prosecutorโs work on the Duterte case โ which advances prosecution arguments, not defends the accused.
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Recent public filings by her office have opposed requests for interim release by Duterteโs legal team, arguing that continued detention is necessary. There is no support for the allegation that she has publicly endorsed Duterteโs innocence.
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No official ICC document or trustworthy news report contains the quote shown in the meme.
In short, the quote card fabricates a statement to imply support for Duterte that does not exist in ICC records or credible reporting.
What is โRule 34โ?
The quote card mentions โRule 34โ as if it authorizes a prosecutor to back an accused person. This is also incorrect.
Rule 34 in the ICCโs Rules of Procedure and Evidence
Under the ICC Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Rule 34 refers to disqualification of a judge, the Prosecutor, or a Deputy Prosecutor. Specifically, it lists circumstances in which they must be removed from a case due to potential bias or impropriety โ for example:
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Personal interest in the case (e.g., close relationships to parties),
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Prior involvement in related legal proceedings, or
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Prior functions or public statements that reasonably raise questions about impartiality.
That is, Rule 34 does not empower the prosecutor to โsupportโ a defendant โ it sets out the grounds for disqualifying a prosecutor or judge if impartiality might be compromised.
Thereโs no ICC rule that says a prosecutor must support the innocence of any defendant โ nor any provision like the one claimed in the quote card.
The only other widely known โRule 34โ is an internet meme meaning โthereโs porn of everything, no exceptionsโ โ entirely unrelated to ICC procedure.
BOTTOM LINE
The online quote card falsely claims that ICC Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang made a statement endorsing Rodrigo Duterteโs innocence under โRule 34.โ
In reality, Rule 34 in ICC procedure concerns disqualification of officials, not support for any party in a case. There is no evidence that Niang issued the quoted statement or that such a rule exists in ICC practice.
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