Another sexual harassment complaint against the antisemitic prosecutor of the International Court

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, faces a second complaint for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct, which intensifies scrutiny of his administration at an especially sensitive time for the court.

The complainant is a former unpaid intern who worked with Khan in 2009, when she was in her early 20s. The woman claims she suffered unwanted touching and advances, as well as coercive behaviors disguised as professional mentoring. She described the experience as a "constant siege."

Khan, meanwhile, categorically denies the allegations and asserts that he "never" engaged in any misconduct. However, he decided to temporarily step aside from his position while a United Nations oversight body investigates the case.

This new complaint adds to the one filed at the beginning of 2024 by an ICC employee, who accused him of pressuring her over a prolonged period between 2023 and 2024. After that first accusation, Khan had already taken a leave of absence, leaving the direction of the Prosecutor's Office in the hands of his deputies.

The political context increases the tension. During his tenure, Khan has been at the center of controversy over arrest warrants issued against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

In May 2024, the prosecutor went further by requesting additional warrants against ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, linked to settlement policy in the West Bank.

These decisions caused strong criticism in Israel and the United States, while reports pointed to covert operations aimed at discrediting the court and surveilling both Khan and his predecessor, Fatou Bensouda.

The UN investigation is ongoing. If serious misconduct were confirmed, ICC member states would have to vote on his possible removal, an unprecedented event in the court's history.