Judge Al-Khasawneh Resigns

I’ve reported in November that in October Judge Al-Khasawneh of the ICJ was appointed Prime Minister of Jordan. I’ve noted how, oddly enough, the ICJ website made no mention of this nor of any resignation by Judge Al-Khasawneh from the Court, even though his new position was clearly incompatible with the judicial function. The ICJ has now issued a press release confirming Judge Al-Khasawneh’s resignation, some three months after his prime-minisiterial appointment. I doubt that this was due to any tardiness by the Court’s press officers: note how the press release says that Judge Al-Khasawneh resigned, but does not say when exactly he resigned, which is again somewhat odd. The Security Council has fixed 27 April as the date for the election of Judge Al-Khasawneh’s replacement, who will complete his term until 2018.