Exclusive: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan details 'dangerous' attempt by states to remove him
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has accused members of the court's governing body of waging a "dangerous" and biased campaign to remove him from office over unfounded sexual misconduct allegations and his investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes.
Speaking exclusively to Middle East Eye, Karim Khan described the extraordinary intimidation and pressure he said he had faced in connection with his pursuit of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister - including threats made by former British foreign secretary David Cameron and US Senator Lindsey Graham.
He accused members of the bureau of the Assembly of State Parties (ASP) of subverting basic legal principles by ignoring the outcome of a United Nations investigation into the misconduct allegations - which they had commissioned - when judges appointed to review its findings concluded there was no evidence of wrongdoing.
Khan said he had not been afforded anonymity while the complaint against him was investigated, as other court officials previously facing misconduct allegations had been, after his name was confirmed to the media by the president of the bureau.
“Why am I treated so differently?” he asked.
Read more: Exclusive: ICC prosecutor Karim Khan details 'dangerous' attempt by states to remove him
ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan accuses members of the court's governing body of waging a 'dangerous"'and biased campaign to remove him from office. (Middle East Eye)