The International Criminal Court’s Big Decision: What’s Happening with Karim Khan?

London — Imagine a very important world court (like a referee for countries) that is now facing a tricky problem at the top. Here’s the simple version of a complicated news story.

What Is the ICC and Who Is Karim Khan?

• The ICC (International Criminal Court) is like a global judge that looks into serious crimes by people in power.
• Karim Khan is the court’s top lawyer, called the Chief Prosecutor (think of him as the head detective).
• Right now, the countries that are part of the ICC (125 of them) are getting ready to vote on whether to remove Khan from his job because of some serious accusations.

The Allegations Against Khan

For many months, a UN watchdog (a group that watches for bad behavior inside organizations) has been looking into claims made by a woman who worked very closely with Khan.

• A leaked UN report (which CNN saw) says she claimed Khan sexually harassed her (made her uncomfortable with unwanted touch or talk) and did things to her without her saying it was okay.
• Khan says these claims are not true and has denied them many times.

Meet “Sarah”

• The woman is a lawyer named Sarah (not her full name, because she asked CNN to keep her private).
• She is from Malaysia and has worked at the ICC since 2017.
• She became Khan’s assistant in February 2023 and says the bad behavior went on for about a year.
• She told CNN she felt “humiliated” and scared to say no because he was her boss and she worried about losing her job, her visa (permission to live in the Netherlands), and her family’s stability.

Important Point: Sarah says because Khan was everyone’s boss, there is no way anything between them could be “consensual” (meaning both people freely agree). When one person has all the power, the other can’t really say yes.

What Did Sarah Say Happened?

Sarah talked to CNN in an interview. Here’s what she described:

• At first, he slowly crossed personal lines (like emotional and small physical boundaries).
• Later, she says it became more aggressive:
  • Coming to her hotel room late at night
  • Pushing to take a “nap” with her
  • Touching her in private areas while she pretended to sleep
• She said she sometimes “froze” (like a deer in headlights) and was afraid to speak up.

The Investigation and Different Reports

Many reports have been made. Let’s break them down like a simple list:

1. UN OIOS Report (December): Found there was a “factual basis” (enough reason to believe) to Sarah’s claims after talking to her and others. In that report, Sarah is called “V01.”
2. ICC Panel of Judges (March): A separate group of court experts said there was “not enough proof” to say Khan did something wrong “beyond reasonable doubt” (the highest level of proof).
3. New York Times Report (July): Said another internal ICC paper found Khan did sexually harass a junior staff member (Sarah). CNN could not check this one itself.

Khan’s main lawyer, Sareta Ashraph, says the UN report shouldn’t count as much as the judges’ report because it used a different rule for proof.

Khan’s Side of the Story

• Khan says the claims are part of a plan to hurt his name, especially after he tried to get arrest warrants (legal orders to arrest) for Israeli leaders over war crimes.
• His lawyer says: “These are serious allegations and they needed to be taken seriously… Mr. Khan has denied and continues to deny them.”
• Khan told UN investigators he never did anything inappropriate and said his tight security on trips would make secret visits impossible. Sarah says security didn’t stop his movement.

A Second Woman Comes Forward

The UN report also includes a second person, called “Patricia” (name changed):

• She was an unpaid intern for Khan’s team back in 2009.
• She told CNN he often touched her, kissed her face, and grabbed her without permission while she worked at his home.
• She said she felt frozen and unable to stop him.
• Khan’s lawyer says they deny these claims too, but they were already part of the Investigation file with over 30 other witnesses.

Why Now and Why the Confusion?

• The allegations first appeared in news in 2024.
• Some people wondered if Sarah was working for Israel to ruin Khan because of the arrest warrants. The UN report says multiple witnesses laughed at that idea (“a load of bull”). Sarah strongly denies being a spy.
• She says she stayed quiet for so long because she believed in the court’s work and feared hurting it.

What Happens Next?

• The court’s oversight group suspended Khan in June while things got sorted.
• Now the 125 member countries will vote on July 24 about whether to keep him suspended or what to do.
• Sarah says speaking up hurt her savings and career, but she believes her story matters no matter the vote.

Callout: The big vote is on July 24. That’s when we learn if Khan stays or goes.

Summary

The ICC’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, is accused by two women (Sarah and Patricia) of sexual misconduct. A UN report found reason to believe Sarah, but a court panel said proof was lacking. Khan denies everything and says it’s a reputation attack. Member countries will vote on July 24 about his future. Sarah says she was afraid but came forward because it was important.

FAQ

1. What does “Chief Prosecutor” mean?
It’s the top lawyer at the ICC who leads investigations into big international crimes.

2. Why did Sarah wait to speak publicly?
She was scared of losing her job and hurting the court’s work, and she felt powerless because Khan was her boss.

3. Is Khan definitely guilty?
No. He denies all claims. One report supports the claims; another says proof isn’t strong enough. Countries will vote soon.

4. What is a “work visa” and why did it matter?
It’s a paper that lets someone live in another country for a job. Sarah feared losing it if she upset her boss.

5. Why do some think Israel was involved?
Because Khan sought arrest warrants for Israeli officials; some guessed the claims were a setup. Investigators found no evidence Sarah was a spy.