ICC Prosecutor Faces Allegations Amid War Crimes Focus
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is currently examining allegations of war crimes by Israel in Gaza, but recent claims suggest that its Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, has used the very situation to stifle a woman who accused him of multiple sexual assaults.
An investigation by the Wall Street Journal reveals that Khan cautioned female colleagues against pursuing legal actions related to his behavior, referencing the Palestinian case to imply that any complaints could jeopardize justice for victims. “Think about the Palestinian arrest warrant,” he allegedly warned.
The accuser, a Malaysian human rights lawyer in her 30s, joined Khan’s team in 2023 after working at the ICC for several years. She asserts that her experience at the tribunal quickly turned troubling.
In her testimony, she describes being assaulted by Khan numerous times across different countries. She recounted a particular incident from December 2023, during a conference in New York, where Khan allegedly invited her to his hotel suite and sexually assaulted her. “He always holds me and leads me to the bed,” she said, expressing her feeling of entrapment.
The alleged abuse did not stop there; she claims Khan also assaulted her multiple times at her residence in The Hague, often forcing unprotected sex upon her.
Reflecting on one incident in Bogota, Colombia, she recounted, “I didn’t move an inch,” revealing disturbing thoughts she had entertained about suicide as a result of the trauma.
Reportedly, Khan would leave her alone temporarily, only to resume the alleged abuse weeks later.
Khan, who campaigned to become the ICC Chief Prosecutor in 2020 with support from Kenyan Vice President William Ruto, was appointed in June 2021. Ironically, one of his initial promises was to eradicate misconduct in the workplace. At one point, he attempted to dismiss several male employees for inappropriate behavior.
Now, however, the woman accusing him of abuse faces the same issues he once vowed to combat.
Initially, she kept silent about the allegations for fear that coming forward would obstruct criminal proceedings against Israeli leaders like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Joav Gallant. “Unfortunately, there are three victims,” Khan allegedly told her, referring to the various parties affected by the situation.
Internal discussions about the allegations began to emerge in November 2024, coinciding with Khan’s preparation to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, who have faced condemnation from the ICC for war crimes, including their alleged targeting of civilians in Gaza.
ICC officials indicated that the decision to prioritize the Gaza situation might have been hastily made to overshadow the scandal brewing internally.
Khan, through his legal representatives, has denied all allegations of misconduct and has rejected any connections between the sexual assault claims and the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
The crisis within the ICC reportedly came to a head on April 29, 2024. During a meeting with Senior ICC legal counsel Thomas Lynch, the woman allegedly broke down, detailing her experiences. Shortly thereafter, Khan expressed a desire to resign, but suggested that stepping down might be misinterpreted as fleeing from the Palestinian case.
As this situation unfolds, the United Nations Internal Monitoring Services Agency has initiated a formal investigation into the sexual misconduct allegations.
Despite her distressing experiences, the woman has continued her work out of dedication to human rights, financial obligations toward her seriously ill mother, and fear of potential retaliation. Her account is reportedly corroborated by several current and former ICC staff members.
For Khan to be removed from his position, a majority vote from the ICC’s 125 member states would be required.
