International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan gave a speech at Trinity College titled “No One Above the Law” following arrest warrants for Hamas and Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The event took place shortly after Khan announced that the ICC had opened an investigation on his alleged misconduct toward an aide.
An anonymous source told The Guardian that Khan encouraged the aide to deny the sexual misconduct claims, but she has refused to make a statement while Khan continues to refute all allegations.
Prior to the event, a poster was found outside Wadham College calling for Khan’s suspension from the ICC, repurposing the talk’s title “No One Above the Law” to point at his alleged misconduct.
Trinity College representatives told Cherwell: “The college is aware of the allegations regarding the Prosecutor, who fully remains in his role at the ICC and has asked the ICC’s oversight mechanism to open an immediate independent investigation into the allegations made against him. It is important that we respect the integrity and confidentiality of any investigation and any process it puts in place, and not comment further while any investigation is ongoing.”
In May 2024, Khan issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as senior Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, and Ismail Haniyeh. The latter three defendants have since been killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
At Trinity College’s event, Khan was interviewed by GCHQ Director of Legal Affairs and Mission Policy Chehzad Charania MBE. Khan discussed the institutional challenges faced by the ICC, the current case regarding violations in the Gaza strip, and the role of states in upholding international law. When asked whether he moved too rapidly or slowly in naming defendants regarding the Gaza case, he responded that they “moved at the speed of the evidence”, according to an attendee.
Attendees also told Cherwell that Khan discussed the threats of sanctions against him proposed by US Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, rhetorically asking: “If bullying works, would every court that stands firm be sanctioned?”
During the audience Q&A, one woman asked a question about the ongoing sexual misconduct investigation, to which the prosecutor responded that the appropriate procedure is being followed and that they had to “trust the process”.
