Top prosecutor for International Criminal Court accused of sexual misconduct
Karim Khan, chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, is accused of sexual misconduct by a lawyer who currently works in his office. (AP Photo)
The International Criminal Court’s member countries will vote on whether to oust Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, following accusations of sexual misconduct made by a lawyer who currently works in his office.
Sarah, who’s being identified in media reports by her first name only, made the allegations against Khan in 2024 while working at the ICC as his direct assistant. She says Khan “repeatedly subjected her to nonconsensual sexual acts, including groping, attempted kissing and digital and genital penetration,” according to CNN.com, which received a leaked copy of the United Nations investigative report.
“There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity. What I think many people don’t understand is that Mr. Khan was not just my boss, he was everyone’s boss,” Sarah said. “And it cannot be consensual.”
“Mr. Khan has denied and continues to deny them in their entirety—any form of sexual content, relationship, consensual or nonconsensual, with the complainant,” according to Sareta Ashraph, lead counsel for Khan, who was suspended in June. Representatives of the 125 member states of the ICC will decide whether to uphold the suspension on July 25. Another woman, who worked as an unpaid intern in 2009, recently came forward with accusations of sexual misconduct against Khan.
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