Topic category: Other/General
American Files Sex Assault, Racketeering Charges Against UN, Kofi Annan & Others
Victim Demands US Supreme Court Hears Her Case
by Jim Kouri, CPP
A 53 year old American woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by the former Dutch Prime Minister and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Ruud Lubbers, in his offices, and then repeatedly retaliated against for reporting the assault, has filed proceedings against Lubbers, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the United Nations and others, in the US Supreme Court demanding that the High Court hear her complaint which seeks at least $25 million for the injuries she suffered.
The woman, Cynthia Brzak, a 25-year veteran employee of UNHCR in Geneva, Switzerland has asked America's highest court to hear her complaint under a little used section of the US Constitution.
Article III of the US Constitution allows the Court the discretion to accept cases directly when the claims involve "ambassadors, foreign ministers and other consuls."
Annan and Lubbers as senior UN officials enjoyed all the privileges and immunities of diplomats (including immunity from civil or criminal suit in US courts), Brzak's attorneys have alleged that the defendants are the equivalent to ambassadors or other consul, and that therefore, the jurisdiction of America's highest appellate court is appropriate.
The suit, if allowed to proceed, seeks monetary and punitive damages, triple damages and attorney's fees, on account of the injuries Ms. Brzak claims she suffered as a result of retaliation for reporting sexual harassment protected by Title VII, indecent assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, constructive termination, and civil racketeering (RICO) violations.
The pleading also seeks to invalidate the immunity of the UN and its senior officials from suit in US courts. The Supreme Court is not expected to address the case until sometime after the opening of its next session on the first Monday in October.
Jim Kouri
Chief of Police Magazine (Contributing Editor)
Biography - Jim Kouri
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for a number of organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores. Kouri holds a bachelor of science in criminal justice and master of arts in public administration and he's a board certified protection professional.