The Procedure for Appointing the International Criminal Court Prosecutor: High Moral Character and the Need for Comprehensive Vetting

Abstract

Every nine years a new prosecutor is elected at the International Criminal Court. To date, three Prosecutors have been appointed, including the March 2021 election of Karim Khan QC. The nomination and election process to the position has evolved over time but there is still room for improvement. The following comment highlights the last round of nomination and election and the major shortcoming of the process — the failure to conduct vetting for high moral character. It is important to state from the onset that this article is not about any of the prosecutorial candidates nor the prosecutor and confines itself to discussing why it is important for the Court to ensure rigorous, and fair appointment procedures for one of its most coveted and important posts.