The ICJ has sent a communication to the President of the International Court of Justice (the Court), Justice Yuji Iwasawa, to urge the Court to conduct an investigation into allegations relating to certain statements attributed to ICJ Vice-President Sebutinde. Should it be confirmed that these statements are in fact remarks made by the Vice President, the ICJ has requested that the Court undertake remedial action consistent with Principles 17-20 of the UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary.
In addition, the ICJ seeks the immediate removal of Vice-President Sebutinde from participating further in proceedings in the South Africa v. Israel case. The ICJ considers these statements to be reflective of a lack of impartiality, or the appearance of impartiality, on the part of Vice-President, at least in respect of her participation in the deliberations concerning Israel and the State of Palestine, and in particular the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). The statements attributed to her are reported in an article published in the Ugandan Newspaper The Daily Monitor on 13 August 2025, entitled “My country disowned me after Israel–Gaza ruling”.
The International Commission of Jurists’ Communication to the Court is available here:
ICJ Communication President International Court of Justice 22.8.2025
