Former UN official says ICC prosecutor was unfairly treated in misconduct case

A former United Nations investigations chief has accused the International Criminal Court's (ICC) executive body of unfairly targeting Prosecutor Karim Khan. Ben Swanson, who previously led the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services, said Khan was the victim of a “massive stitch-up” in a process that led to his suspension over misconduct allegations. Swanson submitted four expert opinions to the bureau of the ICC's Assembly of States Parties (ASP), criticizing how the investigation was handled. In his latest submission, he denounced the bureau's decision to suspend Khan after a panel of three judges had unanimously found no evidence of misconduct. The bureau had appointed the panel, but then ignored its conclusions. The bureau found that Khan engaged in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a complainant, but Swanson said that was not the original allegation. He accused the bureau of pursuing an “activist agenda” and using flawed reasoning. Khan has denied all wrongdoing. The ASP, made up of diplomats from 125 member states, is set to vote on Khan's future at the United Nations in New York. Swanson urged member states to give decisive weight to the judges' findings and reject the bureau's decision, which he called unsafe.