United Nations relaxes rules on ICC suspects

By KEVIN J KELLEY NATION CORRESPONDENT.

United Nations officials may interact “without restrictions” with individuals summoned to appear before the ICC, according to a new set of the organisation’s guidelines.

This provision in the updated UN policy applies in the cases of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, Mr William Ruto.

Mr Farhan Haq, spokesman of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, said the organisation’s policy provides that contact with Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto may continue without restrictions as they have been cooperating with the ICC prosecutor.

A US-based international news website, Foreign Policy, reported on the matter on Monday.

The website added, in a blog posting by reporter Colum Lynch, that the UN simultaneously reaffirmed guidelines suggesting that its officials should generally avoid contact with Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir.

Like President Kenyatta, Mr Bashir has been accused by the International Criminal Court of committing crimes against humanity. The difference in the two leaders’ situations, Foreign Policy pointed out, was that Mr Kenyatta was cooperating with the ICC while Mr Bashir had defied the court’s authority.

“The UN policy is crafted to reward suspects who cooperate with The Hague-based tribunal,” Foreign Policy observed.

Because of his defiance, Mr Bashir has been served with arrest warrants by the ICC. Countries that have signed the ICC Treaty are obliged to arrest Mr Bashir should he enter them.

Mr Kenyatta, on the other hand, has been issued a summons to appear before the ICC. And that is a vital distinction, in the UN’s estimation.

The UN’s policy of unrestricted contacts with the Kenyan leaders is consistent with a position taken recently by Human Rights Watch.

Source: Daily Nation (16/04/2013): http://www.nation.co.ke/News/politics/United-Nations-relaxes-rules-on-ICC-suspects/-/1064/1750378/-/vnpg13/-/index.html