Exclusive: Lawyer goes public with sexual misconduct claims against ICC chief prosecutor. He denies the allegations

Exclusive: ICC Lawyer Reveals Sexual Misconduct Claims Against Khan

Exclusive – The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces mounting pressure as member nations prepare to vote this month on whether to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan following a comprehensive investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. For several months, the United Nations oversight body has been examining claims brought forward by a female ICC employee who served as Khan’s direct assistant. A confidential, leaked UN investigative report obtained by CNN reveals that she accused him of sexual harassment and repeatedly exposing her to non-consensual sexual acts, including groping, attempted kissing, and both digital and genital penetration.

The Allegations Emerge

Khan has consistently denied these serious allegations, which first surfaced in 2024. However, the accuser, identified as Sarah, has remained silent until now. Sarah, a Malaysian lawyer who has been employed by the ICC since 2017, expressed feeling “humiliated” by the situation. CNN is using only her first name at her request. “I have no other way to describe it but an escalation of attempts,” Sarah explained regarding the alleged misconduct, which she says continued for approximately one year after beginning her role as Khan’s assistant in February 2023.

She described the behavior as gradual encroachments on her boundaries, both physically and emotionally. In a world-exclusive interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Sarah recounted moments when she froze and feared saying “no” to Khan’s advances. Her concerns centered on potential consequences for her job, livelihood, and work visa, which enables her to reside in the Netherlands alongside her husband and son. “There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity,” she stated.

Sarah emphasized the scope of Khan’s authority within the organization. “What I think many people don’t understand is that Mr. Khan was not just my boss, he was everyone’s boss,” she said. “And it cannot be consensual.” The court’s oversight body suspended Khan in June during disciplinary proceedings, which have now been forwarded to the ICC’s 125 member states for consideration.

Khan’s Response and Next Steps

Representatives from each member state are scheduled to decide on July 24 whether to uphold Khan’s suspension and determine appropriate disciplinary measures. Khan and his supporters have suggested the allegations represent an attempt to tarnish his reputation following his efforts to secure warrants against Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. When CNN questioned Khan’s lead counsel, Sareta Ashraph, about the specific claims, she responded: “These are serious allegations and they needed to be taken seriously, investigated seriously and undergo a serious judicial review.”

Ashraph confirmed that proper procedures have been followed. “And that is what has happened,” she added, noting that the allegations constitute part of a broader body of evidence. She emphasized that Mr. Khan has denied and continues to deny all claims in their entirety, including any form of sexual content, relationship, whether consensual or nonconsensual, with the complainant. CNN has secured a copy of the UN oversight office’s report, circulated internally in December, which identified a “factual basis” for the claims based on interviews with Sarah, her colleagues, and additional witnesses.

The report redacts Sarah’s name, referring to her as “V01” throughout. However, a separate March report by the ICC’s panel of judicial experts concluded there was “insufficient evidence to support a finding of misconduct measured against the standard of proof of beyond reasonable doubt.” This panel determined that the UN watchdog’s factual findings “do not establish misconduct or breach of duty.” Earlier this month, The New York Times reported that another internal ICC document found Khan committed sexual harassment through sexual activity with a junior staff member, identified as Sarah. The report also noted that Khan initially failed to clearly deny a sexual relationship with his subordinate and later attempted to discourage his accuser from pursuing the allegations.

CNN cannot independently confirm the findings of that unreleased report. Khan’s lead counsel maintains that the UN OIOS report “does not have the same standing as the panel of judges,” adding that “it does not apply a standard of proof.” According to Ashraph, the UN investigation’s function was to gather facts, during which “it presented a number of conflicting narratives.” In her CNN interview, Sarah detailed early uncomfortable interactions with Khan that eventually intensified into more aggressive behavior. She alleges that the conduct escalated to include late-night visits to her hotel room and, on one occasion, Khan pushing to join her for a “nap” while groping her through her leggings as she pretended to sleep.

In a previous interview with journalist