ICC says Karim Khan will take a go away of absence pending the conclusion of UN-led investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has taken a go away of absence pending the conclusion of UN-led investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct in opposition to him.
Khan’s workplace mentioned on Friday that he had knowledgeable colleagues he would step apart briefly till the UN Workplace of Inner Oversight Companies (OIOS) wraps up its probe. The OIOS has been conducting the exterior investigation since December, following complaints raised with the ICC’s oversight physique.
The ICC mentioned that Khan would stay on go away till the inquiry concludes, although a timeline for its completion stays unclear. Throughout his absence, the court docket’s two deputy prosecutors will assume his obligations.
Legal professionals for Khan mentioned he rejected all claims of wrongdoing and had solely stepped apart briefly as a result of intense media scrutiny, which had made it troublesome for him to hold out his work successfully.
“Our shopper stays the prosecutor, has not stepped down and has no intention of doing so,” UK-based regulation agency Carter-Ruck mentioned in a press release.
Khan’s choice to step apart briefly follows months of rising strain from human rights teams and a few court docket officers, who had urged him to withdraw whereas the investigation was ongoing.
“Stepping apart helps defend the court docket’s credibility and the belief of victims, employees, and the general public. For the alleged sufferer and whistleblowers, that is additionally a second of recognition and dignity,” mentioned Danya Chaikel of human rights watchdog FIDH.
The court docket has not confirmed when the OIOS investigation will conclude, however the case comes at a time of rising world scrutiny of the ICC’s function and credibility.
Excessive-profile investigations
The choice comes because the court docket is pursuing high-profile investigations, together with into Russia’s assault on Ukraine and Israel’s struggle on Gaza.
Khan requested arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin for the alleged unlawful deportation of Ukrainian kids, and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
The US, a vocal critic of the court docket’s current strikes, imposed sanctions on Khan over his pursuit of Israeli officers. ICC management has since warned that such political assaults may endanger the establishment’s survival.