Every time you think the current Australian can’t go lower they surprise with another punch below the belt.
Lawyers Weekly reports
International law advocates have called on the federal government to rescind its request to intervene in ICC proceedings into war crimes in Palestine.
Last week, Australia filed a request to intervene in proceedings at the ICC, arguing that the court has no jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute war crimes in Palestine.
According to the ABC, the court’s chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said in December there was enough evidence for an investigation into thousands of killings, and that he had asked the court to rule on whether it had jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories.
Australia, Brazil, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic have asked the court over the past two weeks to let them file “amicus brief” opinions on the case.
The Australian Centre for International Justice has called on the federal government to “support international justice and accountability and withdraw its request to intervene”.
According to ACIJ director and principal solicitor Rawan Arraf: “This position undermines Australia’s commitment to uphold and promote accountability and international justice on the global stage.”
“The position of the Australian government is unprecedented. This kind of direct engagement in an international court process simply does not make sense. Why is Australia going out of its way to hold back an investigation into Palestine? Australia has always been a strong supporter of accountability and the fight to end impunity. It should not stop now and it should withdraw its request.”
The ICC is a “court of last resort for international crimes”, Ms Arraf continued.
“In situations of chronic impunity, Australia must support accountability processes and not intervene to block attempts to conduct a proper investigation,” she said.
