Two women have publicly detailed sexual abuse allegations against ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, intensifying scrutiny ahead of a crucial vote that could determine his future.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
The crisis surrounding the International Criminal Court (ICC) deepened on Thursday after two women publicly described allegations of sexual abuse against Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, placing renewed pressure on the British lawyer just days before member states vote on whether he should remain in office.
In a televised interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, an ICC staff member, identified only as Sarah, spoke publicly for the first time about allegations she had previously made against Khan. Sarah, who worked directly as Khan’s special assistant between 2023 and 2024, alleged that his conduct escalated over time through repeated emotional and physical boundary violations.
Recalling one incident during an official visit to Colombia, Sarah alleged that Khan entered her hotel room while she was pretending to be asleep and sexually assaulted her. She claimed he groped her and made unwanted sexual advances despite her lack of consent.
“It was kind of like encroachments on the boundaries slowly – not just physically, but emotionally as well,” Sarah said during the interview.
Khan has categorically denied all allegations.
The CNN interview also featured a second woman, identified only as Patricia, who previously spoke to The Guardian about her experience. Patricia alleged that while working as an intern for Khan in 2009, she was repeatedly subjected to unwanted physical contact and sexual advances while performing work at his residence.
According to Patricia, the alleged behavior included repeated groping, attempts to kiss her, and pressure to engage in intimate activity.
Responding on Khan’s behalf, his lawyer Sareta Ashraph said the allegations were not new and reiterated that Khan rejects them “in their entirety.” She argued that the full body of evidence presents a significantly different picture from what was shown during the television interview.
The allegations come at a pivotal moment for the ICC. Next week, representatives of the court’s 125 member states are scheduled to meet at the United Nations headquarters in New York to decide whether Khan should be removed from office—an unprecedented move in the court’s history.
Last month, the executive committee of the ICC’s governing body suspended Khan after concluding that he had committed serious misconduct related to Sarah’s allegations. The matter was subsequently referred to member states for a final decision.
Khan’s legal team has maintained that the disciplinary proceedings are politically motivated and procedurally unfair. Ashraph argued that the timing of the media interviews, shortly before the scheduled vote, was significant, adding that member states already possess additional evidence that has not been presented publicly.
Khan, who was elected ICC chief prosecutor in 2021 for a nine-year term, has played a prominent role in several high-profile international investigations, including seeking arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country’s then-defense minister over the Gaza conflict.
His representatives have previously suggested that Sarah’s allegations could be part of an effort by hostile actors to undermine him because of those prosecutorial decisions. However, documents cited by The Guardian reportedly indicate that investigators found no evidence supporting claims that Sarah was acting on behalf of any third party or intelligence agency.
Sarah also rejected those suggestions during her interview, saying she remained employed by the ICC and would have been dismissed if there had been any indication she was acting for another state or organization.
“My complaint was because of what happened to me, not for any other reason,” she said.
The outcome of next week’s vote is expected to have significant implications for both Khan’s future and the credibility of the ICC as it continues handling some of the world’s most consequential international criminal investigations.
