Karim Khan KC, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has denied allegations of misconduct following harassment claims by a female colleague, as revealed by The Mail on Sunday. Khan, a barrister renowned for prosecuting war criminals, sparked controversy in May when he sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes in Gaza.The move was condemned as outrageous by U.S. President Joe Biden and deeply unhelpful by former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Before this announcement, Khan, 54, was reportedly under internal scrutiny at the ICC after a female official reported his conduct to a colleague, who then alerted senior management.The Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), which handles misconduct allegations at the ICC, questioned the alleged victim. However, the woman chose not to file a formal complaint, according to official statements. It was also reported that she refused to confirm or deny the colleagues account of the incident.The IOM opted against a formal investigation, instead recommending preventive measures to safeguard everyones rights. Khan firmly rejected the allegations, labeling them a smear campaign and emphasizing that both he and the court had been subjected to “a wide range of attacks and threats.”Khan stated, I absolutely can confirm there is no truth to suggestions of misconduct.Paivi Kaukoranta, President of the Assembly of States Parties, acknowledged public reports about Khan but affirmed that no formal investigation was possible given the circumstances.
