UN Experts Denounce Russian Convictions of ICC Prosecutor, Judges
On December 12, the Moscow City Court sentenced Khan and the judges on charges tied to what Russian authorities described as the “unlawful prosecution of Russian citizens.” Prison terms ranged from 3.5 to 15 years, with Khan receiving 15 years, and all were declared internationally wanted.
"These convictions are legally null and void under international law," the experts said. "It is an unprecedented attempt to criminalize the exercise of independent judicial and prosecutorial functions of an international court."
They explained that the charges relate to the ICC’s investigation into alleged war crimes connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine, including 2023 arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s children’s rights commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, over the alleged deportation and transfer of children from occupied Ukrainian territories to Russia.
The experts emphasized that ICC judges and prosecutors enjoy functional immunity under the Rome Statute, and domestic courts cannot prosecute them for official acts. They further criticized trials in absentia conducted without proper notice or legal representation, saying they “fall short of minimum due process standards,” and urged Russia to annul the convictions and withdraw the warrants.
"No State may invoke sovereignty to shield itself from accountability," they said, adding: "Attempts by Russia or other UN Member States to undermine the ICC through reprisals against judicial independence and intimidation of the ICC’s officials must end."
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