Appeals court rejects UN sexual harassment suit

03/02/2010
Associated Press
Original Source: – HYPERLINK http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2010/0302/Bluster-at-UN-Human-Rights-Council-as-US-and-Iran-trade-barbs http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jEj3zih3bS1DBhJDH6LQHOnhsuxwD9E6NLPG2

NEW YORK   An appeals court says a United Nations employee whose sexual harassment claims led to the resignation of the U.N.'s refugee chief cannot sue in U.S. courts.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the United Nations is absolutely immune from such a lawsuit, and its former employees also have immunity.

The ruling upheld a lower court judge's decision to toss out a lawsuit brought by U.S. citizen Cynthia Brzak (BER'-zak). She had alleged that ex-refugee chief Ruud Lubbers (Ruhd LOO'-bers) grabbed her in a sexual manner after a December 2003 business meeting in his Geneva office.

Lubbers resigned from the position in February 2005 because of the attention caused by the scandal. He's also the former prime minister of the Netherlands.