The barrister finest recognized for heading the United Nations’ particular investigative staff wanting into Islamic State crimes in Iraq.
Parties to the International Criminal Court on Friday elected Britain’s Karim Khan as the brand new prosecutor for a nine-year time period beginning on June 16.
Mr. Khan gained a secret poll in opposition to three different candidates to interchange lead prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. The 123-member Hague-based court docket, which started work almost 20 years in the past, handles struggle crimes, crimes in opposition to humanity, genocide and crimes of aggression.
British barrister Karim is finest recognized for heading the United Nations’ particular investigative staff wanting into Islamic State crimes in Iraq.
In his 27-year legislation profession Mr. Khan, who can also be Queens Counsel, has labored for nearly each worldwide prison tribunal i nroles in prosecution, defence and as counsel for victims. At the ICC Khan is finest recognized for being a lead defence counsel who has labored on instances from Kenya, Sudan and Libya.
There was intense political jostling for the highest ICC job at a time of heightened scrutiny of the prosecutor’s workplace.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions final 12 months on court docket employees together with Bensouda over investigations by her workplace into attainable struggle crimes dedicated in Afghanistan, together with by American troops. The United States just isn’t a member of the court docket.
New U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration will “thoroughly review” the sanctions on ICC officers, a State Department spokesman mentioned final month.
Then final week the court docket mentioned it has jurisdiction over struggle crimes dedicated within the Palestinian territories, which coul dlead to an inquiry strongly opposed by non-ICC member Israel and the United States.
One of the primary selections by Mr. Khan could possibly be whether or not to press forward with a full investigation into the Palestinian territories, the place Bensouda mentioned there’s a affordable foundation to conclude struggle crimes could have been dedicated by each Israeli forces and Palestinian armed teams.
“Karim’s in depth expertise in worldwide legislation will likely be pivotal in making certain we maintain these liable for essentially the most heinous crimes to account and acquire justice for his or her victims,”Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab posted on Twitter
