Bengaluru: A team from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, emerged as the first runner-up at the 2026 International Bar Association (IBA)–International Criminal Court (ICC) Moot Court competition, held in the Hague, Netherlands, last week. NLSIU student Ayesha Khan was adjudged the Best Speaker of the competition.The competition was won by Bond University, Australia, while Singapore Management University secured the second runner-up position. Widely regarded as one of the world’s premier international criminal law mooting competitions, the IBA–ICC Moot Court competition brings together law students from across the globe to argue a simulated case before judges and leading legal experts.This year, the moot problem, prosecutor v Droganna Syrax, dealt with issues relating to the alleged obstruction of humanitarian medical aid, the immunity of a sitting head of state, and the legality of a defendant’s rendition before the ICC. The final round was held at the ICC before a bench, comprising judge Gocha Lordkipanidze, along with legal officers Sophie Courtmans and Magali Bobbio.The NLSIU team, comprising Ayesha Khan, Lohith Reddy, Pradnesh Kamat, and Aayushi Yadav, spent almost an entire year advancing through multiple rounds before they finally reached the international finals. Ayesha, who is now entering her fourth year at NLSIU, has long been interested in international criminal law with hopes to pursue advanced studies in the field. “I didn’t pick this moot just for the speaking aspect. International criminal law is something I genuinely want to pursue further,” she said.For Pradnesh, the ICC moot court competition was never about just winning. “We had the opportunity to appear before leading prosecutors and experts associated with international criminal tribunals. That’s something you simply don’t get at most competitions,” he said.The fourth-year law student truly believes one of the competition’s biggest lessons was the importance of focusing on one’s own process rather than worrying about competitors.“When you moot with friends, everything becomes more intense,” said Lohith. Long before the NLSIU team arrived in the Hague, they spent endless hours over the months testing one another’s arguments, questioning each other’s assumptions that naturally came with disagreeing fiercely from time to time. “There were intense arguments about whose side was better and which argument made more sense. When you’re mooting with friends, everything is amplified,” he said.— Shrreya Venkat
