Four UN staff members were dismissed for sending and storing child pornography on UN computers and another was dismissed for using a UN vehicle to transport approximately 173kg of marijuana, according to a UN report obtained on Friday.
The report on UN disciplinary matters and cases of criminal behavior covers a year-long period through June this year, and documents about 60 cases that resulted in disciplinary measures, among the organization’s worldwide staff of about 40,000.
It does not identify any of the workers or where they worked, nor does it include the more than 100,000 UN peacekeepers who are under the jurisdiction of their home countries.
The report, circulated late last month, states that during the period eight cases involving “credible allegations of criminal conduct by United Nations officials or experts on mission were referred to member states.”
The disciplinary cases range from a senior UN employee’s demotion for harassing a subordinate to dismissal of a UN employee caught trying to steal money from the wallet of another staffer, and termination of the contract of a staffer performing security and screening duties at an airport who took US$2,200 from the luggage of a passenger traveling on a UN flight.
The report gave no details on the four employees sending child pornography. It said a fifth staffer was demoted for storing pornographic material on a computer and failing to report that another UN staffer had sent it though the UN’s e-mail system.
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