A second woman has come forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The women, identified only as Sarah and Patricia, spoke to CNN's Christiane Amanpour about their experiences with the prominent British lawyer.
Sarah, an ICC staff member who worked directly as Khan's special assistant, described his behaviour as 'an escalation of attempts'. She alleged that during an official visit to Colombia, Khan entered her hotel room and groped her while she pretended to be asleep. Khan has denied the claims.
Patricia, who worked as an intern for Khan in 2009, said she was required to work at his house and faced 'a constant onslaught' of unwanted advances, including groping and kissing. Khan's lawyer, Sareta Ashraph, stated that the allegations are not new and that the 'complete evidential picture paints a far different picture'.
The interviews come ahead of a crucial vote by ICC member states on whether to remove Khan from office. Last month, the ICC's governing body suspended him after finding serious misconduct related to Sarah's claims. Lawyers for Khan argue the disciplinary process is politically motivated and procedurally unfair.
Sarah, who is Muslim and remains an ICC employee, rejected suggestions that her complaint was part of a plot to discredit Khan, saying it was 'because of what happened to me, not for any other reason'.
