UN probing claims ICC chief prosecutor retaliated against those who reported sexual misconduct

UN investigators examining allegations of sexual misconduct by International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan are also looking into alleged retaliation for the accusations, five sources briefed on the matter tell Reuters.

The allegations being examined are that Khan retaliated against staff who reported allegations of sexual misconduct towards a female lawyer reporting to him or were critical of his handling of the matter, say three sources with direct knowledge of the UN investigation.

The five sources, all of whom asked not to be named due to concerns of reprisals, say Khan, who is British, had demoted at least four staff members in his office.

In a written statement, Khan’s attorneys reject all allegations of wrongdoing and said he “looks forward to cooperating fully and transparently with the external investigation.”

Khan has vowed to continue working while cooperating with the inquiry, and said that the original allegations, made last October, coincided with a campaign of misinformation against his office.

ICC prosecutors are investigating several high-profile figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin on suspicion of deporting children from Ukraine, and for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Neither country is a member of the court and both deny the accusations and reject ICC jurisdiction.

The ICC’s investigation into Israel’s conduct led the US to impose sanctions on Khan, which the ICC president says have put the court itself at risk.