ICC judges have barred the prosecutor from announcing intentions to file for arrest warrants in connection with Israel, as he prepares to apply for additional warrants against Israelis.
Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have issued a confidential order preventing Prosecutor Karim Khan from publicly disclosing any new applications for arrest warrants in the court’s Palestine case, The Guardian reported. The order prohibits Khan from announcing the existence of such applications or his intention to seek them without prior approval from the judges.
The directive follows Khan’s previous public announcements of arrest warrant applications for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and a Hamas military leader. The warrant for the Hamas figure was later withdrawn after his death.
Sources cited by The Guardian stated that the restriction was issued amid preparations for additional applications related to alleged crimes in Israeli-administered areas. The report also mentions internal concerns within the ICC regarding Khan’s communication practices.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor stated they could not confirm or deny the existence of any non-public judicial decisions and affirmed that any arrest warrant application is based on an independent and impartial investigation under the court’s jurisdiction.
Khan’s public announcements in other cases, including those related to Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Sudan, were also referenced in the report. The Guardian notes that similar confidentiality measures have been imposed in at least one other case.
The ICC has not issued a public comment on the reported judicial order.
