Call for ICJ judge's removal after Israel comments

The International Court of Justice (sometimes referred to as the World Court) is facing a serious new challenge. Already stretched between overwork on the one hand – thanks to the many cases referred to it – and growing cynicism about its effectiveness on the other, the court must now deal with uproar about the views of its vice-president, Julia Sebutinde, from Uganda. Serious questions are being asked about whether these religious and/or political views disqualify her from sitting further on the court. The furore has arisen because of recent remarks allegedly made by Sebutinde concerning the case brought to the court by SA, challenging Israel’s conduct in Gaza as genocide. As Carmel Rickard writes in her A Matter of Justice column on the Legalbrief site, the International Commission of Jurists has now asked the court to investigate these remarks. The commission says if she, indeed, had made these comments, then the court should take steps to remove her. In the meantime, during the investigation, she should immediately be barred from any further participation in the case brought by SA against Israel.

A Matter of Justice

ICJ statement

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