The Assembly of 124 States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced, on Monday, November 11, the opening of a “external investigation” sure “alleged prosecutorial misconduct.” Under pressure from several member states of this assembly – a kind of miniature Parliament of the jurisdiction – its president, the Finnish diplomat Paivi Kaukoranta, made this decision. “taking into account the particular circumstances of this case”. For several months, the ICC prosecutor has received accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Karim Khan rejected these claims and assured that“There is no truth to suggestions of such misconduct.”.
On May 4, officials in his office, to whom he had allegedly confided an employee, reported the prosecutor’s alleged actions to the ICC’s independent monitoring mechanism, but the investigation was quickly closed, as the employee did not want to testify before it. control body. However, according to a close lawyer, the young woman in her thirties would be willing to testify if an investigation ” external ” It was opened under the authority of the Assembly, the same one in charge of electing or dismissing judges and prosecutors.
The first rumors circulated at the end of April, when the prosecutor had just informed the United States, the United Kingdom and France of his intention to request arrest warrants against the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his then Defense Minister, Yoav. Gallant and three Hamas officials who are now dead. On May 20, Karim Khan announced that he had submitted his requests for arrest warrants to the judges’ table, which are still being deliberated.
The accusations resurfaced in the fall. On October 17, an anonymous account opened on the social network X, broadcast by the pro-Trump American right, accused the prosecutor. Subsequently, several articles appeared in the press and six media outlets benefited from the information leaks, indicates a source outside the Court.
Two requests from Israel
These allegations have already had an impact on the current case. Israel’s allies took advantage of this to demand the cancellation of arrest warrant requests against Netanyahu and Gallant. Shortly before the ICC Assembly President’s decision, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry requested an investigation “before any action or decision is taken that potentially involves legal issues before the Court”formula that referred to the arrest warrants requested.
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