A second woman reported to a UN inquiry that Karim Khan subjected her to unwanted sexual advances and abused his authority while she worked for him earlier in his career. She said he repeatedly pressured her into sexual activity and sought meetings at his home. Khan denies any sexual misconduct and has temporarily stepped aside as head of the ICC prosecution division while the inquiry proceeds. The UN watchdog launched the investigation last year and received the woman's allegations this summer; investigators have conducted several interviews to examine claims that date back to 2009. The woman feared reprisals and came forward after learning of another staff allegation.
A second woman has come forward to an inquiry investigating sexual abuse allegations against Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court (ICC), the Guardian has learned. The woman has alleged that while working for the prominent British lawyer earlier in his career, he behaved inappropriately, subjecting her to unwanted sexual advances, abused his authority over her, and repeatedly sought to pressure her into sexual activity.
Khan, who denies sexual misconduct of any kind, has temporarily stepped aside as head of the ICC's prosecution division as he awaits the outcome of the inquiry into separate abuse allegations brought by a member of his staff at the court. Launched last year, the inquiry by a UN watchdog received the new allegations from the second woman this summer. Its investigators are understood to have conducted several interviews in order to examine her claims, which date back to 2009.
At the time, the woman was in her 20s and working as an unpaid intern for Khan. He was a leading defence lawyer at the ICC and other war crimes tribunals in The Hague, having notably represented the former Liberian president Charles Taylor. Speaking exclusively to the Guardian, the woman said Khan abused his power and influence over her and described his behaviour as a constant onslaught of advances.
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