Ocampo faces scrutiny over South Caucasus role, funding claims, says Express report

Former International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo has come under renewed scrutiny over his involvement in South Caucasus-related discussions and his wider consultancy activities, according to a report in Britain’s Express.

The Express report says Ocampo gave evidence in a British parliamentary context examining allegations concerning the destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in territories retaken by Azerbaijan following the 2023 escalation of the Karabakh conflict, News.Az reports.

It also reports that Ocampo has been involved in consultancy and advisory work for a range of private clients. Citing German publication Der Spiegel, the report says these clients have reportedly included a Libyan billionaire linked to the former Gaddafi-era establishment, as well as individuals associated with the former separatist administration in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region.

The article further states that Ocampo was commissioned by the then leadership of the unrecognised entity known as “Artsakh” to produce a report accusing Azerbaijan of genocide. That report has been sharply criticised by legal analysts, who described it as “fundamentally flawed” and said it “fails to undertake a rational and balanced analysis of the available evidence; it is more concerned with accusing an individual by name, perhaps for the sake of seeking headlines.”

In addition, the Express report refers to allegations that Ocampo was covertly recorded in discussions in which he allegedly referenced receiving funding from “rich” Russian Armenians. The claims have not been independently verified.

The report also highlights wider controversy surrounding Ocampo’s advisory work, with critics cited as questioning his impartiality in politically sensitive contexts. “These kinds of engagements inevitably raise questions about neutrality when dealing with highly contested international disputes,” one source was quoted as saying.

Supporters, however, point to his decades-long career at the highest level of international justice. “He has extensive experience handling complex international legal cases and has served at the forefront of global accountability efforts,” another source said.

The developments come amid continued political sensitivity in the South Caucasus, where Armenia and Azerbaijan remain engaged in a fragile post-conflict diplomatic process following decades of dispute over Karabakh, the article said.

News.Az