New revelations from the Guardian cast a shadow over the International Criminal Court (ICC). An in-depth investigation, based on testimonies from eleven current and former court officials, exposes serious accusations against prosecutor Karim Khan, including sexual harassment and attempts to cover up the affair.
A thirty-year-old lawyer, working directly with Khan, was allegedly attacked for almost a year, from April 2023 to April 2024. The incidents allegedly occurred in various locations: Khan's office in The Hague, his private home and hotel rooms during business trips. “The incidents escalated over time,” reports the Guardian, citing sources close to the matter. In one of the cases, the prosecutor allegedly “pushed his tongue in his ear.”
The investigation also reveals pressure exerted on the alleged victim. Someone close to Khan reportedly encouraged her to deny the accusations in writing, suggesting she write: “I never said that. He never assaulted me.” According to the Guardian's sources, “the prosecutor was very frightened” that these allegations would be disclosed.
The ICC's Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM) has also come under severe criticism. After an interview with the alleged victim in a hotel in The Hague, the investigation was closed in just two days, although the complainant agreed to a second meeting with investigators.
Khan, a 54-year-old British lawyer, “categorically denies all the allegations”, according to his lawyers who worry that “the disclosure of confidential and internal documents aims to undermine his important work at a sensitive moment”.
The ICC Staff Union is now calling for “a rapid and independent investigation, carried out by an external panel free from any potential conflict of interest”. The Assembly of States Parties, the ICC's supervisory body, could soon launch a new investigation, with the alleged victim currently in contact with this body.
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