ICC chief prosecutor removed from post over sexual misconduct allegations
Karim Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court suspended (File pic) UNITED NATIONS: The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court was removed from office
Karim Khan, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court suspended (File pic) UNITED NATIONS: The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court was removed from office on Friday, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations against him first emerged.By a large majority, the ICC's 125-member states ousted British barrister Karim Khan for "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty," the court's oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties, said in a statement.The lengthy and complicated process has pitted human rights advocates, staff and member states against one another at a time when the court is already facing daunting challenges, including a campaign by the United States to "dismantle" the ICC, which was established to prosecute people responsible for humanity's worst crimes.The oversight body will now need to hold elections for a new prosecutor, someone who is likely to face sanctions by the Trump administration, which has already brought the force of financial penalties and travel bans on 13 members of staff, including Khan."The ICC should hold itself to the highest standards. This includes ensuring a safe workplace with effective and credible mechanisms available to staff or others who experience abuse, including sexual violence or harassment," Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to the AP.The 56-year-old Khan was accused of sexual misconduct with a female aide, as outlined by The Associated Press in a series of stories, allegations he has steadfastly denied.
According to documents seen by the AP, Khan engaged in a sexual relationship with the woman and tried to prevent her from pursuing her allegations.Khan's lawyers criticized the process leading to his ouster, complaining that he was blocked from addressing the session Friday and arguing the regulations had been rewritten to disadvantage him.Khan's "removal was determined by a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard, and in defiance of the conclusions of the independent judges who examined the full evidential record," attorney Tayab Ali said in a statement. He said Khan's legal team would challenge the decision "through all available legal mechanisms."The decision comes at a time when the global tribunal is under enormous pressure.In a statement last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. was launching a "sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty."Rubio said he will pressure member states to withdraw from the institution, sanction organizations that work with the court and ban staff from traveling to the United States. Countries that "enjoy the benefits of the U.S. security umbrella" will be called upon to reject the court's jurisdiction over U.S. citizens.Hours after the vote, Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the court.
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