The Worldwide Prison Courtroom’s (ICC’s) governing physique has confirmed it’s in search of an “exterior probe” into allegations of sexual misconduct by the court docket’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan.
“After having consulted the Bureau of the Meeting of States Events (ASP), I’m in search of on behalf of the ASP Presidency an exterior investigation into the issues associated to alleged misconduct by the ICC Prosecutor,” Paivi Kaukoranta, president of the ASP, the physique overseeing the court docket, stated in an announcement on Monday.
Calling upon all events to cooperate absolutely, the assertion stated the exterior investigation was “being pursued with a purpose to guarantee a totally impartial, neutral and honest course of”.
Khan, who had beforehand denied the allegations, stated on Monday he would press forward together with his duties whereas the investigation is ongoing.
“I welcome the chance to interact on this course of,” Khan, 54, stated in an announcement, including that he “can be persevering with all different capabilities as prosecutor”.
Kaukoranta had issued an announcement final month confirming the ASP was wanting into the allegations towards Khan “on the idea of a third-party report”.
On the time, the ASP acknowledged that the ICC’s Unbiased Oversight Mechanism (IOM) had been in touch with the alleged sufferer however was not ready to maneuver ahead with an investigation.
The IOM’s annual report, launched final month, stated the incident had been reported to the IOM in early Might.
“The alleged affected particular person declined to pursue a proper criticism with the IOM, together with when it was advised that any investigation may very well be referred to an exterior entity,” the report stated, including that the person had “refused to explicitly affirm or deny to the IOM the factual foundation of what had been reported by the third get together”.
‘Assaults and threats’
Khan has been on the helm of the court docket’s prosecutions since 2021, together with warfare crimes probes involving Russia and Ukraine in addition to Palestine and Israel.
In Might, Khan requested arrest warrants towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his then-defence chief and three Hamas leaders who’ve since been killed. The ICC has not yet made a decision on whether or not to grant the warrants.
Khan stated the misconduct allegations align with a misinformation marketing campaign towards his workplace.
“This can be a second during which myself and the Worldwide Prison Courtroom are topic to a variety of assaults and threats,” Khan stated in an announcement final month.
Criticised initially for not performing quick sufficient to forestall atrocities in Gaza, Khan touched off a firestorm when making use of for arrest warrants over the warfare.
Netanyahu referred to as it a “ethical outrage of historic proportions” whereas United States President Joe Biden stated it was “outrageous”.
Even earlier than Khan’s utility, senior US Republicans penned a letter threatening to bar him and his household from the US.
Khan additionally sought and obtained an ICC warrant for President Vladimir Putin of Russia, which promptly slapped arrest warrants on the prosecutor himself.
The ICC is a everlasting court docket that may prosecute people for warfare crimes, crimes towards humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression in member states or by their nationals.
