Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Canada supports the ICC vote to remove prosecutor Karim Khan but has not revealed whether Ottawa cast a ballot in the secret decision.
Ottawa backs outcome of secret ICC vote
Ottawa has thrown its support behind a move to remove International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan. However, Canada has not confirmed whether it voted in favour of his removal.
On Friday, members of the global court voted on Khan’s future. As a result, 82 of the ICC’s 125 voting members supported removing him from his role.
Meanwhile, Global Affairs Canada said Ottawa supports the result. Still, officials did not explain whether Canada took part in the secret ballot or which side it supported.
Khan denies sexual harassment allegations
The vote came after allegations of sexual harassment were made against Khan. However, Khan has rejected the claims.
At the same time, the decision has drawn attention because of wider political tensions involving the ICC. In particular, the Israeli government has argued that Khan moved quickly to seek an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes in order to shift attention away from the accusations against him.
However, legal experts have said the warrant process followed independent steps. They also noted that the warrant remains active and was not based on Khan acting alone.
Several countries reveal their position
Meanwhile, some countries have publicly shared their voting choices. The Netherlands and France confirmed that they supported removing Khan during the secret ballot.
In contrast, Canada has kept its position private. Global Affairs Canada repeated that it supports the outcome but stopped short of confirming whether Ottawa submitted a vote.
Therefore, questions remain about Canada’s exact role in the decision, even as the government welcomes the result.
ICC leadership faces new scrutiny
The removal vote adds another challenge for the international court, which continues to face debate over its decisions and leadership.
For now, the ICC will move ahead after the decision, while Canada’s undisclosed voting position continues to attract interest from observers.
