Karim Khan —ICC photograph
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Worldwide Prison Courtroom will launch an exterior probe into sexual misconduct accusations in opposition to its high prosecutor, The Related Press (AP) has realized, protecting alive a case that the courtroom’s inside watchdog had closed inside 5 days.
Karim Khan has categorically denied the accusations that he tried to coerce a feminine aide right into a sexual relationship, and the claims come amid experiences of an ongoing Israeli intelligence marketing campaign to discredit the courtroom’s prosecution of Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged warfare crimes in Gaza.
The exterior investigation was permitted this week at a gathering of the courtroom’s oversight physique, the Meeting of States Events to the Rome Statute, based on three individuals acquainted with the matter who spoke to AP on situation of anonymity to debate the closed-door deliberations.
READ: ICC prosecutor who charged Netanyahu faces sexual abuse rap
Battle-of-interest issues
It was unclear precisely who would conduct the probe, the individuals stated, noting that prospects included regulation enforcement officers from Europe and a regulation agency. The United Nations’ inside watchdog has additionally been mentioned for such a probe however that could possibly be fraught with conflict-of-interest issues as a result of Karim’s spouse, a distinguished human rights legal professional, had beforehand labored on the company in Kenya investigating sexual harassment.
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Neither Päivi Kaukoranta, a Finnish diplomat at present heading the ICC’s oversight physique, nor Khan’s legal professional instantly responded to requests for remark.
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An AP investigation discovered that two courtroom staff in whom the alleged sufferer confided got here ahead with the accusation in Could, just a few weeks earlier than Khan sought arrest warrants in opposition to Netanyahu, his protection minister and three Hamas leaders on warfare crimes prices. A 3-judge panel is now weighing that request.
AP reported that Khan traveled steadily with the lady after transferring her to his workplace from one other division on the ICC’s headquarters in The Hague.
Throughout one overseas journey, Khan allegedly requested the lady to relaxation with him on a resort mattress after which “sexually touched her,” based on whistleblower paperwork shared with the courtroom’s watchdog and seen by the AP. Later, he got here to her room at 3 a.m. and knocked on the door for 10 minutes.
Different allegedly nonconsensual habits cited within the paperwork included locking the door of his workplace and sticking his hand in her pocket. He additionally allegedly requested her on a number of events to go on a trip collectively.
Inquiry closed inside 5 days
After the 2 co-workers reported the alleged habits, the courtroom’s inside watchdog interviewed the lady however she opted in opposition to submitting a grievance attributable to her mistrust of the watchdog, based on the AP investigation. Khan was by no means questioned and the watchdog’s inquiry was closed inside 5 days.
Whereas the courtroom’s watchdog couldn’t decide wrongdoing, it nonetheless urged Khan in a memo to reduce contact with the lady to guard the rights of all concerned and safeguard the courtroom’s integrity.
Underneath Khan, the ICC has grow to be extra assertive in combating crimes in opposition to humanity, warfare crimes and associated atrocities. Alongside the way in which, it has added to a rising record of enemies.
Final September, following the opening of a probe into Russian atrocities in Ukraine, the courtroom suffered a debilitating cyberattack that left employees unable to work for weeks. It additionally employed an intern who was later criminally charged within the US with being a Russian spy.
Israel has additionally been waging its personal affect marketing campaign ever because the ICC acknowledged Palestine as a member and in 2015 opened a preliminary investigation into Israel’s actions.
London’s The Guardian newspaper and a number of other Israeli information shops reported this summer season that Israel’s intelligence companies for the previous decade have allegedly focused senior ICC employees, together with placing Khan’s predecessor underneath surveillance and displaying up at her home with envelopes filled with money to discredit her.
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An exterior probe would go additional than what Khan proposed when, following the AP report, he referred to as on the ICC’s inside watchdog to research the matter and stated he would totally cooperate. —AP
