Sir Keir Starmer faces accusations of committing “a crime against humanity” in a legal challenge over his deal to cede the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. Indigenous Chagossians, led by Misley Mandarin, have brought a case to be heard on 13 March, claiming that forcing them from their homeland constitutes an international crime.
The Maldives president, Mohamed Muizzu, has also announced he intends to legally challenge the treaty, disputing Mauritius's claim to the islands. The deal, which includes a £35bn lease of the Diego Garcia airbase, has been put on hold after US President Donald Trump effectively vetoed it over security concerns.
Lawyer James Tumbridge, representing the four Chagossians who returned to the islands in February, argued in court papers that their removal for a second time is “a crime against humanity”. He cited a submission to the International Criminal Court (ICC) alleging the “crime against humanity of deportation” through continued exclusion.
The UK government previously justified the exile on national security grounds, but Tumbridge noted that the deal with Mauritius accepts resettlement on outer islands, undermining that argument. He also pointed out that cost objections no longer apply due to the treaty terms.
Currently, an injunction prevents the removal of the four Chagossians, who arrived with former MP Adam Holloway. The judge will also consider a broader challenge to the deal based on Chagossian rights to resettle and run the islands as a British protectorate.
