Victim of alleged sexual misconduct by ICC prosecutor Khan speaks out

An alleged victim of sexual misconduct by International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan has spoken publicly for the first time, detailing her accusations in an interview with CNN. The woman, a Malaysian lawyer identified only as Sarah, has worked for the ICC since 2017 and claims the alleged misconduct, including repeated sexual harassment and non-consensual sexual acts, spanned over a year after she began working as Khan's assistant in February 2023.

Sarah described feeling "humiliated" by what she termed escalating attempts at sexual engagement and violations of emotional boundaries. She stated that she sometimes froze and feared rejecting Khan's advances due to potential retaliation that could jeopardize her career and work visa, which allowed her to live in the Netherlands with her family. "There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity," Sarah told CNN, emphasizing Khan's position as "everyone's boss."

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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.

According to CNN, a leaked United Nations investigative report into the allegations against Khan found a "factual basis" for Sarah's claims, supported by reports from her colleagues and witnesses. The report details allegations of non-consensual touching in various locations, including Khan's office, home, and during business trips. Sarah also alleged facing pressure from Khan and another ICC employee to retract her allegations after colleagues expressed concern for her well-being.

Karim Khan has consistently denied the accusations. He was suspended from his role in June after months of investigation into the claims. Khan reportedly told UN investigators that he "completely denied engaging in any harassment, abuse of authority, inappropriate behavior whatsoever." Sarah, meanwhile, has denied that her claims are part of any alleged Israeli efforts to discredit Khan.

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I completely denied engaging in any harassment, abuse of authority, inappropriate behavior whatsoever.