UN AIDS agency fires whistleblower after misconduct probe

The United Nations' AIDS agency has fired two staffers for financial and sexual misconduct, including a whistleblower whose allegations of being sexually assaulted sparked months of turmoil at the organization.

Last March, Martina Brostrom publicly accused a senior UNAIDS director of forcibly kissing her and trying to drag her out of a Bangkok elevator in 2015. She also said he had sexually harassed her on other occasions.

But before those allegations became public, Brostrom herself and a supervisor were being investigated by UN officials for their own sexual and financial misconduct, as revealed in an Associated Press story in April.

Internal documents obtained by the AP showed UN officials had "evidence" Brostrom and a supervisor had taken part in "fraudulent practices and misuse of travel funds."
Barton-Knott said the investigation began eight months before one staffer filed allegations of being sexually assaulted. She said any claims the employee was fired as payback for lodging her sexual assault claims were "baseless and misleading."