Latest news with #TheHague-based
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran Academia's Just Peace event in The Hague: Rethinking the Emerging Global Order and its Impact on Iran
THE HAGUE, Netherlands, May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On 19 and 20 June 2025, Leiden University Campus The Hague will host the Peace, Democracy, and Media Conference. Organised by the The Hague-based Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH), also known as Iran Academia. Set against the backdrop of the Just Peace Festival, this conference, under the theme "Rethinking the Emerging Global Order and its Impact on Iran", explores the erosion of democracy, the re-emergence of war as a political tool, and the manipulation of media in authoritarian contexts. Supported by the Municipality of The Hague, Leiden University's Dialogue programme, and The Hague Humanity Hub, this two-day event will gather over 200 participants—policy experts, journalists, scholars, and civil society leaders—for unfiltered discussion and global exchange. Follow the programme and feel free to participate: About the Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH), Iran Academia Founded in 2012, ISSH was born from a powerful premise: education should be free, critical, and accessible to all—especially to those silenced or excluded. In a world where academic freedom is often suppressed, particularly in Iran, ISSH offers a vital alternative. Through an interdisciplinary, master's-level diploma programme and open courses, the institute has reached more than 11,000 learners, including students from within Iran and refugee communities across the globe. Its educational approach is radically inclusive—allowing students to engage in their native languages, and encouraging not only the consumption of knowledge but its active creation. Rooted in The Netherlands and enriched by a faculty from institutions such as Harvard, Sciences Po and Leiden University. Hani Mojta, researcher at Iran Academia "Education should not be a privilege reserved for the few. Our mission is to reach those who've been excluded and offer them not only knowledge, but the confidence to ask difficult questions and shape their own future." Read more: About the Road to Summit and the Just Peace Festival leading up to the NATO Summit in The Hague Road to Summit: Just Peace Festival: About The Hague & Partners The Hague & Partners is the official marketing & acquisition organisation for the promotion of The Hague, focused on residents, visitors, conferences, businesses and institutions. View original content: SOURCE City of The Hague Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Qatar Tribune
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Hungarian parliament votes to quit International Criminal Court
BudapestcTypeface:> The Hungarian parliament has passed a bill to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The parliament's website reported on Tuesday that 134 members of parliament (MPs) voted in favour of the move, 37 voted against and seven abstained. The Hungarian government announced its intention to withdraw from The Hague-based court at the beginning of April when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Budapest at the invitation of his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orbán. Netanyahu is wanted by the ICC on charges of alleged war crimes committed by Israeli troops against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Orbán had made it clear before the visit that Hungary would ignore the arrest warrant. Orbán and other members of the government justified the planned withdrawal from the ICC with the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant. (DPA)
9 News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
Strongman ex-leader wins landslide vote - while on trial at the Hague
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here In the gripping game of thrones of Philippine politics, voters have delivered former President Rodrigo Duterte a sweeping mayoral victory in his hometown stronghold of Davao – predictable for a family that has held the job for more than 20 years. But this latest landslide win creates a predicament for the Philippines, as the mayor-elect is thousands of kilometres away behind bars awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague accuse the 80-year-old political patriarch of carrying out a brutal war on drugs that killed possibly thousands of people, including many innocents and bystanders. Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is seen on a screen in the courtroom of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. (AP) Though he openly boasted about the crackdown, Duterte has long denied accusations of human rights abuses and has repeatedly said he will not kowtow to a foreign court. His next hearing is in September, but before then experts say he faces a new, complicated legal battle between the ICC and Philippine jurisdiction over whether he will be allowed to take the oath of office. Duterte can potentially be sworn in by proxy or in absentia – possibly by a video call, but only if The Hague-based court allows it, experts say. If he's allowed to assume the role, questions will be asked about how he could administer the southern city from a detention centre in another time zone, where he has access to a computer and phone calls to family, but no internet. A man casts his vote for the midterm elections at a school converted into a polling precinct in the Philippines. (Getty) Under Philippine law, day-to-day duties could fall to his youngest son, Sebastian Duterte, who was elected as vice mayor of Davao City. If the senior Duterte isn't allowed to take the oath, experts say the role of mayor could fall to election runner-up Karlo Nograles, of the Nograles political dynasty, longtime Duterte rivals in Davao, where both families tussle for influence. Ramon Beleno, a political analyst and former professor from Ateneo de Davao University, said handing the job to Nograles could trigger a separate legal challenge from the Dutertes. Duterte remains a powerful yet divisive figure in the Philippines. In Davao City, where he served as mayor for over two decades before becoming president in 2016, fervent supporters credit his iron grip over the city with bolstering law and order. Duterte's lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, was quoted by Philippine news outlet ABS-CBN as saying the "overwhelming" support for Duterte in the 2025 midterm elections showed the public's "total rejection" of the national government's "attempt to stamp out" the former president's legacy. In a reply to CNN , Kaufman said "any swearing in ceremony would be dictated by and conform to the law of the Republic of the Philippines. Accordingly, a decision on this issue will be taken in the very near future after all options have been discussed with the former President's Filipino lawyers." Campaign flyers are seen littered on the ground as Filipinos cast their votes for the midterm elections. (Getty) Beleno said voters saw this election as Duterte's "last hurrah" and cast their ballot as a final tribute to the ageing former strongman leader. Duterte's arrest had only galvanised voters, he said. Support for Duterte extended to his family, who re-emerged in the vote with sweeping control of their political stronghold. All five Duterte family members who ran in this election won by a landslide. Duterte's son Paolo was re-elected to congress and two of Paolo's sons also won public office: Omar won as congressman for Davao City's second district and Rodrigo II, who goes by the nickname "Rigo," was elected as first district councilor. Sebastian Duterte, the vice mayor-elect – who could be mayor in his father's absence – is not as outspoken as the elder Duterte and a lot of political responsibilities are already weighing against him at home, Beleno said. Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, centre right, and Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, at their inauguration. (AP) The main legal hurdle Duterte faces, despite his landslide mayoral win, is whether he would be allowed to swear the oath during his enforced absence. All elected public officials are supposed to take their oath within 30 days of their supposed assumption of office on July 1, according to Joel Butuyan, an ICC-accredited lawyer and president of human rights NGO CenterLaw. Unable to be sworn in at home, Duterte would need to take the oath in the presence of a Philippine ambassador or consul in The Hague, which seems unlikely, Butuyan said. "I don't think he's going to be allowed to get out just to take office because it's not in the enumerated rights of an accused (person) in the ICC," he said. Supporters of Rodrigo Duterte gather outside the gate of Villamor Airbase, where Duterte was taken following his arrest on an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant. (Getty) If the ICC grants Duterte permission, the oath will be recognised in the Philippines, but he "will not be able to perform his functions because he's out of the country and he's in detention," Butuyan said. "It's not ideal at all," Butuyan added, of the election result. "It does not serve the interests of the people of Davao that they voted for someone who will not be able to perform his functions as a city mayor." The mayor is the face of the city, with administrative tasks such as attending meetings and functions, signing documents and authorising payrolls – all difficult to do effectively if Duterte is sitting halfway across the world, said Beleno, the political analyst. Even before the final votes were cast, Duterte's daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, said that her father's ICC lawyer and Philippine legal team were discussing how he can take the oath. Duterte is charged with crimes against humanity connected to his pursuit of alleged drug dealers. (AP) "The ICC lawyer said that once we get proclamation papers, we'll discuss again how former President Rodrigo Duterte can take the oath," she said. CNN has reached out to the ICC and Kaufman, Duterte's legal counsel. In a court filing to the ICC earlier this month, Kaufman said there is no legal basis for the case against Duterte because the Philippines is no longer a member of the Rome Statute. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC, but under the court's withdrawal mechanism, it keeps jurisdiction over crimes committed during the membership period of a state – in this case, between 2016 and 2019, when the country's pullout became official. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte is facing impeachment. (AP) The closely watched midterm election was considered a proxy battle between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and Vice President Duterte-Carpio as ties disintegrate between the former allies turned enemies. The vice president is facing impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives amid allegations of corruption, which she denies. A two-thirds vote in the Senate is required to convict her, remove her from public office, and ban her from seeking any public post. To stay in office, Duterte-Carpio needs nine of 24 senators to vote for her acquittal. And neither the Marcoses nor the Dutertes dominate the Senate after the May 2025 vote. The race yielded a three-way stalemate between Marcos-endorsed candidates, Duterte-allied politicians, and liberal-leaning figures, said Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines. "The vice president has more breathing room now … but she should also be careful with how the public perceives her," Atienza said. "Her popularity ratings have recovered a bit … but we have seen she can make mistakes that can affect the sentiments of the people." In reality, the Filipino public is also becoming impatient with the drama in high places, Atienza said. "They're getting tired of having the Dutertes always fighting with the Marcoses," she said. For now, political bickering is in gridlock. But Rodrigo Duterte's stronghold still stands and his supporters long for the day he is officially declared mayor and comes back to serve his home country. CONTACT US
17-05-2025
- Politics
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan steps aside pending outcome of sexual misconduct investigation
BRUSSELS -- The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stepped down temporarily pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, the court announced Friday. Karim Khan has categorically denied accusations that he tried for more than a year to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will. The ICC's announcement was welcomed by women's rights groups, who had called for Khan to step down after the allegations emerged last year. 'In any other professional setting, someone facing such serious allegations would have been expected to step down months ago,' said Eimear Shine, a spokesperson for The Hague-based Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice. An investigation by The Associated Press last year found that two court employees, in whom the alleged victim confided, reported the alleged misconduct in May 2024 to the court's independent watchdog. That was a few weeks before Khan sought arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and three Hamas leaders on war crimes charges. The watchdog said it interviewed the woman and ended its inquiry after five days when she opted against filing a formal complaint. Khan himself wasn't questioned at the time. While the watchdog could not determine wrongdoing, it nonetheless urged Khan in a memo to minimize contact with the woman to protect the rights of all involved and safeguard the court's integrity. The ICC statement on Friday said Khan 'communicated his decision to take leave until the end' of an external investigation being carried by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the U.N. internal watchdog. The court's deputy prosecutors will be in charge of managing the prosecutor's office while Khan is on leave, the statement said. The work of the court will continue, according to Danya Chaikel, the ICC representative from the International Federation for Human Rights. 'The cases and investigations have been carried out by professionals,' she told the AP. hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.
Int'l Business Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
ICC Prosecutor, Under Investigation, Steps Aside Temporarily
The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor has stepped aside pending the conclusion of a probe into a misconduct allegation against him, his office said Friday, as media reports cite accusations of sexual misconduct. News of Karim Khan's leave have plunged the ICC, already under fire from critics and targeted by US sanctions aimed at the prosecutor, into further uncertainty. The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services announced its investigation in November, with reports saying Khan was accused of sexual misconduct towards a member of his office. Khan, 55, denies the allegations. Khan "communicated his decision to take leave until the end" of the UN internal investigation, and his deputy prosecutors will run the office in his absence, his office said in a statement. The Wall Street Journal reported that an assistant, a woman in her 30s, told UN officials that Khan touched her in a sexual manner in December 2023. She alleged the touching escalated into her him forcing her to have sexual intercourse, according to the testimony cited by the newspaper. After allegations of misconduct became public, Khan said in October he would cooperate with any probe and denied wrongdoing. "It was with deep sadness that I understood reports of misconduct were to be aired publicly in relation to me," Khan said. "There is no truth to suggestions of such misconduct," he said in a statement mailed to AFP. The British lawyer took up his position with The Hague-based court in June 2021. Throughout his career -- from courtrooms in England and Wales, to leading cases before international tribunals -- he has faced down controversy for his legal work. Stints included defending Liberia's former president Charles Taylor against allegations of war crimes in Sierra Leone, Kenya's President William Ruto in a crimes-against-humanity case at the ICC that was eventually dropped, and the son of late Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, Seif al-Islam. Khan also secured ICC warrants against Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Hamas figures, over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. While its rulings are binding on member countries, it lacks the ability to enforce them. Khan was born in Scotland and studied undergraduate law at King's College, London. His father was Pakistani, his mother British and he is a member of the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim sect. He became a practising lawyer in 1992, and went on to cut his teeth in international law at the former Yugoslav and Rwandan war crimes courts from 1997 to 2000. He later represented survivors and relatives of victims of the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia at its UN-backed court in the late 2000s. His other roles have included a stint at The Hague-based Special Tribunal for Lebanon, set up to bring to justice the killers of Lebanese ex-PM Rafic Hariri in 2005.
