The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct toward a female employee in his office. The decision was taken last week by the president of the Assembly of 124 member states of this court. Pending the conclusions of this investigation, the prosecutor announced that he would continue to exercise his mandate.
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With our correspondent in The Hague, Stephanie Maupas
The Court’s internal control body opened a file last May following a report by officials from the prosecutor’s office in whom the young woman allegedly confided. But the latter never testified.
For several weeks, relatives of the employee, as well as several States, have been calling for an investigation by a body outside the Court itself. It’s done. States parties will still have to decide who will conduct this investigation.
All this will take time and the prosecutor has indicated that he will remain in office while several people are calling for his suspension. This is the case of US Senator Lindsey Graham. Close to the Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahuand supporter of Donald Trump, he believes that the allegations should have consequences on the decisions made by the prosecutor. For months, the senator has hoped to convince the Court to divest itself of its investigations in favor of Israel, affirming that the Jewish state will pursue the perpetrators of war crimes at home.
This whole affair takes place in the context of requests for arrest warrants requested by Karim Khan, at the end of last May, against Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas officials who are now deceased. (Yahya Sinwar killed on October 16 in Gaza, Ismaïl Haniyeh assassinated in Tehran on July 31, and Mohammed Deïf presumed dead on July 13 in Khan Younès) and on which the judges have still not decided.
Also readKarim Khan urges ICC judges to rule on arrest warrants requested against Netanyahu and Sinwar