In response to the International Criminal Court prosecutor’s announcement on May 20, 2024, that he has sought arrest warrants in relation to his ongoing Palestine investigation, the following quote can be attributed to Balkees Jarrah, associate international justice director at Human Rights Watch:
"Karim Khan’s decision to seek arrest warrants for five people for grave international crimes committed in Israel and Palestine since October 7 in the face of pressure from US lawmakers and others reaffirms the crucial role of the International Criminal Court. Victims of serious abuses in Israel and Palestine have faced a wall of impunity for decades. This principled first step by the prosecutor opens the door to those responsible for the atrocities committed in recent months to answer for their actions at a fair trial. ICC member countries should stand ready to resolutely protect the ICC’s independence as hostile pressure is likely to increase while the ICC judges consider Khan’s request."
For Human Rights Watch’s reporting on Israel/Palestine, please see: https://www.hrw.org/middle-east/north-africa/israel/palestine.
For Human Rights Watch’s reporting on international justice, please see: https://www.hrw.org/topic/international-justice.
