By MOLLY QUELL, Related Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The president of the Worldwide Legal Court docket lashed out on Monday at Russia for concentrating on its prosecutors and judges over the panel’s investigation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and slammed feedback by a U.S. senator threatening the court docket.
Choose Tomoko Akane mentioned in her handle to the annual assembly of the world’s high war-crimes court docket that assaults in opposition to the ICC had been shameful — referring to Russia’s arrest warrants for the court docket’s chief prosecutor Karim Khan and several other of its judges.
These people are “subjected to arrest warrants from a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, merely for having faithfully and diligently carried out their judicial mandate per the statutory framework and international law,” she mentioned.
Moscow issued warrants for Khan and the others in response to the ICC investigation and arrest warrants for Putin over the battle in Ukraine.
The Japanese choose additionally had harsh phrases for U.S. officers, together with Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has known as the court docket a “a rogue and politically motivated organization” after the judges final month issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Graham mentioned he was assured Donald Trump’s incoming administration would “respond forcefully” to those actions by the court docket.
“The court is being threatened with draconian economic sanctions by another permanent member of the Security Council as if it was a terrorist organization,” Akane mentioned, with out elaborating.
Throughout his final time period in workplace, Trump had sanctioned the court docket’s earlier prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, with a journey ban and asset freeze for investigating American troops and intelligence officers in Afghanistan.
What’s the ICC assembly about?
Monday’s assembly marks the beginning this week of the Meeting of States Events, which represents the ICC’s 124 member nations, of the ICC’s twenty third convention to elect committee members and approve the court docket’s funds in opposition to a backdrop of unfavorable headlines.
The ICC was established in 2002 because the world’s everlasting court docket of final resort to prosecute people liable for essentially the most heinous atrocities — battle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
The court docket solely turns into concerned when nations are unable or unwilling to prosecute these crimes on their territory. To this point, 124 nations have signed on to the Rome Statute, which created the establishment. Those that haven’t embody the USA, Israel, Russia and China.
The ICC has no police pressure and depends on member states to execute arrest warrants.
Warrants for Netanyahu and his ex-defense minister
The choice to subject warrants for Netanyahu and Israel’s former Protection Minister Yoav Gallant has been denounced by critics of the court docket and given solely milquetoast approval by a lot of its supporters, a stark distinction to the strong backing of an arrest warrant for Putin final 12 months over battle crimes in Ukraine.
President Joe Biden known as the warrants for Netanyahu and the previous protection minister outrageous and vowed to face with Israel. A 12 months in the past, Biden mentioned the warrant for Putin justified and mentioned the Russian president had dedicated battle crimes.
France mentioned it might “respect its obligations” however would wish to contemplate Netanyahu’s potential immunities. When the warrant for Putin was introduced, France mentioned it might “lend its support to the essential work” of the court docket.
One other member nation, Austria, begrudgingly acknowledged it might arrest Netanyahu however known as the warrants “utterly incomprehensible.” Italy known as them “wrong” however mentioned it might be obliged to arrest him. Germany mentioned it might examine the choice. Member Hungary has mentioned it might stand with Israel as a substitute of the court docket.
World safety professional Janina Dill expressed concern such responses might undermine world justice efforts, saying they actually have “the potential to damage not just the court, but international law.”
Milena Sterio, an professional in worldwide regulation at Cleveland State College, advised The Related Press that sanctions in opposition to the court docket might have an effect on numerous individuals who contribute to the court docket’s work, reminiscent of worldwide human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. Clooney suggested the present prosecutor on his request for the warrants for Netanyahu and others.
“Sanctions are a huge burden,” Sterio mentioned.
Accusations in opposition to ICC’s chief prosecutor
Additionally hanging heavy over the assembly in The Hague are the inner pressures that Khan, the chief prosecutor, faces. The 54-year-old British lawyer confronted allegations that he tried to coerce a feminine aide right into a sexual relationship and groped her, in line with an AP report in October.
Two co-workers in whom the girl confided reported the alleged misconduct in Might to the court docket’s impartial watchdog, which says it interviewed the girl and ended its inquiry after 5 days when she opted in opposition to submitting a proper criticism. Khan was by no means questioned. He has denied the claims.
The Meeting of States Events has introduced it can launch an exterior probe into the allegations.
Khan, who took the ground after Akane, didn’t handle the accusations in opposition to him or the threats in opposition to the court docket past saying the establishment was going through “unprecedented challenges.”
He as a substitute highlighted his workplace’s request final week for an arrest warrant in opposition to the top of Myanmar’s navy authorities, senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, for assaults in opposition to the nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority. Judges have but to determine on that request.
Khan additionally mentioned he deliberate to request warrants associated to Afghanistan and Sudan within the coming months.
Late final week, six nations together with France, Luxembourg and Mexico requested Khan’s workplace to look into potential crimes in Afghanistan because the Taliban took management in 2021. Whereas Khan isn’t obligated to open an investigation in response to such a request, traditionally court docket prosecutors have carried out so.
The court docket, which has lengthy confronted accusations of ineffectiveness, can have no trials pending after two conclude in December. Whereas it has issued numerous arrest warrants in latest months, many high-profile suspects stay at massive.
Additionally, ICC member states don’t at all times act — Mongolia, an ICC member, refused to arrest Putin when he visited in September. Sudan’s former President Omar al-Bashir is needed by the ICC over accusations associated to the battle in Darfur, however his nation has refused at hand him over.
“It becomes very difficult to justify the court’s existence,” Sterio mentioned.
Initially Printed: December 2, 2024 at 7:49 AM EST
