US congressman files complaint against Sydney law professor for calling for Donald Trump’s arrest
South Carolina representative Joe Wilson accused Professor Ben Saul of undermining the global US fight against terrorism while taking money from China.
An Australian law professor associated with the United Nations Human Rights Council has been referred to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for calling for the arrest of US President Donald Trump and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and attacking Israel while accepting $200,000 in funding from the Chinese government.
Ben Saul, who holds the Challis Chair of International Law at Sydney University, has “repeatedly used his mandate” as the UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism “to undermine US counterterrorism policy”, Republican Congressman Joe Wilson wrote to Mr Rubio on Tuesday.
“I write to urge the Administration to take action regarding additional United Nations Special Rapporteurs by conducting a review to examine whether any should be sanctioned for abusing their UN mandates to advance campaigns that target the United States and its allies,” the letter from the long-time the South Carolina congressman representative said.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Sydney University, which was criticised last week in the anti-Semitism royal commission over an anti-Israel encampment during the Israel-Hamas war, offered fulsome support for its academic, who is not paid for the UN role.
“Professor Saul is an exceptional scholar and a world-leading expert on international law including international humanitarian and human rights law, and we fully support his right to provide expert commentary in his area of expertise,” Law School head Fleur Johns said.
Taking Netanyahu to the ICC
The complaint, which covers four other part-time UN officials, highlights anger within the Republican Party over resistance to US foreign policy in the New York-based international organisation, especially by Francesca Albanese, the Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories and a trenchant opponent of Israel.
The Trump Administration has declared Ms Albanese a “specially designated national” and forbade American citizens and companies from working with her.
In his letter, Mr Wilson said Prof. Saul and the other UN officials had engaged in similar conduct as Ms Albanese “including active cooperation” with a campaign to prosecute Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the International Criminal Court over the war.
“Those who exploit the authority of a UN mandate to advance politically motivated campaigns against the United States and its allies should not enjoy immunity from scrutiny or consequences,” Mr Wilson said.
Prof. Saul is a leading Australian expert on international law. Last August he wrote on The Conversation website that it was reasonable to argue Israel has committed genocide against the Palestinians, an allegation frequently made by Israel’s opponents and one the Jewish state says is absurd.
“This argument has strengthened the longer the conflict has gone on,” he wrote.
Prof. Saul received a $US150,000 ($214,000) grant from China for his part-time job as the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. The payment was disclosed last March in the annual report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and was used to pay for advisers.
“The information provided to Congressman Wilson and the US Secretary of State is false, misleading and defamatory, and is part of a global smear campaign spreading disinformation against UN experts and aimed at deflecting legitimate criticism of rights violations by certain States,” Prof. Saul said.
In April, Prof. Saul posted a message on social media seeking funding for his position “to support our independent expert work in defence of human rights worldwide”.
In his letter, Mr Wilson cited eight examples of what he asserted showed Prof. Saul undermined US efforts to defeat terrorism, mostly citing posts by the academic on the X social media site.
“Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in March, Saul accused the US of ‘naked aggression and renewed imperialism against Iran and Venezuela,’ while he simultaneously praised Somalia as a ‘responsible state’ that ‘is committed to strengthening human rights’” he wrote.
