ICC Employee Denies Israeli Spy Claims Amid Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan

A female employee of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, known only as Sarah, has publicly spoken out for the first time about her sexual harassment allegations against ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. Sarah, a Malaysian Muslim woman, denies claims that her complaint was part of an Israeli plot to discredit Khan and undermine arrest warrants he issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant for alleged war crimes.

The allegations against Khan surfaced in early 2024, leading to an investigation and his suspension last month by the ICC oversight body. On July 24, the ICC’s 125 member states are scheduled to vote on Khan’s possible removal. A December UN oversight report, obtained by CNN, found a factual basis for Sarah’s claims, which include repeated sexual harassment, unwanted touching, attempted kissing, and sexual assault occurring at Khan’s home, office, and during overseas work trips. Khan denies all accusations.

Sarah worked as Khan’s assistant from February 2023 and described a gradual escalation of inappropriate behavior, including late-night visits to her hotel room and physical advances despite her attempts to resist due to fear of losing her job, livelihood, and Dutch work visa. She revealed that after confiding in colleagues, she faced pressure from Khan and his staff to recant her allegations in writing.

Responding to accusations that she acted as an Israeli agent, Sarah firmly rejected the notion, aligning with the UN report’s conclusion that credible witnesses dismissed the spy claims as nonsense. She emphasized her full support for the ICC’s investigations into Israeli officials and criticized attempts to conflate her complaint with political agendas.

Another former ICC employee, Patricia, also accused Khan of sexual misconduct dating back to 2009, describing unwanted advances and physical contact during her unpaid internship. Both women’s testimonies have intensified scrutiny of Khan’s conduct amid the ICC’s ongoing deliberations.