The head prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has refuted accusations of sexual misconduct and has called for an immediate investigation. In a statement, he revealed that he had requested the ICC’s oversight body, the Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), to carry out the inquiry. Khan also mentioned that he had sought an investigation into what he referred to as apparent “misinformation” surrounding the case. This decision comes in response to recent media reports citing a document detailing allegations against Khan, which reportedly include unwelcome sexual advances and “abuse”. Khan denies these claims and has stated his willingness to fully cooperate with the investigation.
The ICC has come under intense scrutiny following Khan’s pursuit of arrest warrants related to the Gaza conflict. This development follows the ASP President’s disclosure that the IOM had been in contact with the alleged victim but was unable to proceed with an investigation at that time. According to reports, the female lawyer who experienced unwanted advances from Khan had doubts about the IOM’s competence and felt she was not given a fair chance to have the matter looked into by an external entity. The ASP President referenced the IOM’s annual report, which indicated that further measures were recommended to protect everyone’s rights.
In a previous statement, Khan did not explicitly accuse Israel but did draw a connection between the sexual misconduct allegations and attempts to undermine his authority, characterizing it as a period of attacks and threats against himself and the ICC. However, these allegations are said to have occurred before his request for arrest warrants in relation to the Gaza conflict. A group of ICC judges is currently reviewing Khan’s appeals for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
The ICC, based in The Hague, is facing an unprecedented crisis with escalating internal disputes over how to handle the allegations and apparent efforts by the court’s opponents to politicize them. Kaukoranta emphasized the ICC’s “zero-tolerance policy” towards prohibited behaviors such as harassment, discrimination, and abuse of authority, ensuring that the rights of all individuals involved are protected.
