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As the International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor sought war crimes charges this year against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian president Vladimir Putin over actions in Gaza and Ukraine respective , he was engulfed in accusations that he tried for more than a year to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will, a new report has revealed .
Khan has categorically denied the allegations, saying there was “no truth to suggestions of misconduct.” with Court officials saying they may have been made as part of an Israeli intelligence smear campaign.
Two co-workers in whom the alleged abuse victim confided at the ICC’s headquarters at The Hague reported the alleged misconduct in early May to the court’s independent watchdog, which says it interviewed the woman and ended its inquiry after five days when she opted against filing a formal complaint. Khan himself was never questioned.
According to a report by AP detailing the abuse allegations, Khan noticed the woman working at another department at ICC and moved her into his office, a transfer that included a pay bump. Their time together allegedly increased after a private dinner in London where Khan took the woman’s hand and complained about his marriage. She became a presence on official trips and meetings with dignitaries.
During one such trip, Khan allegedly asked the woman to rest with him on a hotel bed and then “sexually touched her,” according to the documents. Later, he came to her room at 3 a.m. and knocked on the door for 10 minutes.
Other allegedly nonconsensual behavior cited in the documents included locking the door of his office and sticking his hand in her pocket. He also allegedly asked her on several occasions to go on a vacation together.
Upon returning to ICC’s headquarters after one trip, she tearfully complained to two co-workers about Khan’s behavior and the anguish she felt for not standing up to a boss she once admired.
Those co-workers were shocked because Khan always seemed to show exemplary behavior around women and has been outspoken against gender-based crimes. They also weighed the accusations against the backdrop of well-publicized attempts by intelligence agents from Israel and elsewhere to penetrate the court, which created a work environment plagued by intrigue and mistrust.
While the woman declined to comment to reporters about the allegations, people close to her say her initial reluctance was driven by distrust of the in-house watchdog and she has asked the body of member-states that oversees the ICC to launch an external probe.
An ICC official with knowledge of the matter who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity confirmed that the request remains under consideration and the efforts were applauded by those close to the woman, who still works at the court.
“This wasn’t a one-time advance or an arm around the shoulder that could be subject to misinterpretation,” one of the people close to the woman told AP, speaking on condition of anonymity to shield the woman’s identity.
“It was a full-on, repeated pattern of conduct that was carried out over a long period of time.”
While the court’s watchdog could not determine wrongdoing, it nonetheless urged Khan in a memo to minimize contact with the woman to protect the rights of all involved and safeguard the court’s integrity.
Khan on May 20 sought arrest warrants against Netanyahu, his defense minister and three Hamas leaders on war crimes charges. A three-judge panel is currently weighing that request.
