International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has allegedly pressured a female subordinate to deny sexual harassment claims against him, British newspaper The Guardian reported on Sunday.
According to the report, Khan allegedly tried to engage in unwanted sexual relations with the employee and reportedly “pressed his tongue” into the woman’s ear, as well as making other inappropriate advances. When she sought to file a complaint, Khan allegedly pressured her to submit a written statement retracting her allegations.
The report also noted that the ICC swiftly dismissed the case after a brief investigation, despite having warned Khan to avoid contact with the woman. The case has prompted internal scrutiny and raised questions about the ICC’s handling of harassment complaints against senior figures.
As speculation circulated, the newspaper clarified that Israel is not implicated in these emerging allegations, despite unrelated tensions over Khan’s recent calls for arrest warrants against Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The Guardian has previously been critical of Israel, having published claims of Israeli surveillance targeting ICC officials, though it did not link this recent investigation of Khan to his rulings on Israel-Palestine cases.
The allegations were first reported by the Daily Mail, and according to The Guardian, based on interviews with 11 court officials and sources, there has been internal upheaval at the ICC as Khan faces these accusations. The ICC has yet to comment on any actions it may take regarding Khan’s role.
At home, in the office, in hotel rooms
The report alleges that Khan has harassed a lawyer under his supervision, with reports suggesting that the harassment spanned a year, from April 2023 to April 2024, escalating across various settings including Khan’s office, his home and on work trips.
Sources indicated that the lawyer, in her 30s, attempted to distance herself from Khan, leading to adverse effects on her work. On one work trip to London, Khan allegedly held her hand and, over time, made repeated attempts to initiate physical contact, reportedly even engaging in inappropriate physical acts such as inserting his tongue in her ear, as shared by colleagues.
Khan announces his intention to pursue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant
(Video: ICC )
Documents obtained by The Guardian suggest the lawyer feared filing an official complaint due to potential repercussions on her career and family. She also reportedly worried that critics of the ICC, such as Israel, might exploit her allegations.
The ICC’s independent review mechanism advised Khan to avoid contact with the lawyer. However, the response to the allegations reportedly consisted of a rushed meeting with the victim in a hotel room in The Hague, where, according to the report, the investigation was closed within two days after the lawyer expressed distrust in the ICC’s handling of the review.
The Guardian's investigation highlights persistent issues within the ICC’s internal processes, where skepticism about the independent review body has led some employees to avoid official complaints.
Despite the ICC claiming the lawyer refused an external investigation, records show she agreed to meet with investigators again, contradicting claims that an outside review was offered. The incident has stirred controversy amid the ICC’s ongoing high-profile work, including Khan’s requests for arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
The attempted silencing
After the allegations surfaced, the court advised him to limit his contact with the employee, including avoiding evening or solo meetings and refraining from taking her on business trips.
However, sources claim that, in defiance of these guidelines, Khan allegedly continued to interact with the employee, including discussing the allegations directly with her in private meetings and phone calls.
An associate in Khan’s office reportedly pressured the employee to write a letter retracting her claims, emphasizing Khan’s concern about the potential political fallout if the allegations were made public.
The Guardian further reports that Khan and his associate persistently encouraged the employee to retract her claims in writing between May and September, suggesting this would allow a return to “normalcy” in their professional relationship.
The employee declined to retract the allegations, yet also refrained from filing a formal complaint, though sources believe Khan's attempts to suppress the accusations may have ultimately led to a complaint being filed regardless.
The Israel link and the next step
Khan, 54, has firmly denied the allegations, dismissing them as a possible “smear campaign” by court opponents. While Khan has not directly accused Israel, he has insinuated that critics of the ICC may be exploiting these claims. However, The Guardian noted that there is no evidence linking Israel to the allegations against Khan.
The investigation reported that senior officials at the ICC are increasingly concerned about the court's internal handling of the allegations. Additionally, the court's staff union has called for an independent probe, managed externally to ensure impartiality.
Meanwhile, the complainant is reportedly in communication with the Assembly of States Parties (ASP)—the ICC's oversight body—although no formal investigation has been launched.
Sources within the ICC told The Guardian that while they worry the scandal could be politically exploited by ICC critics, including Israel, they emphasized that the arrest warrant requests against Netanyahu and Gallant were in motion before Khan was made aware of the allegations.
Khan’s legal team has also denied claims that he or his associates pressured the complainant to retract her allegations, saying no such requests were made on his behalf. The ASP’s response and potential action in the matter will determine Khan’s future as ICC prosecutor, though the organization has yet to announce any formal inquiry.
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