Rights experts unseals court records of Epstein sexual abuse case ‘no one above the law’
Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 20th Jan. Independent human rights experts on Friday emphasized no one is above the law, after the unsealing of 1,000 pages of court records in the case of US financier Jeffrey Epstein, on the disturbing extent of his sexual abuse of teenage girls.
The court documents revealed a horrifying list of alleged crimes perpetrated by Mr. Epstein, including sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, rape, sex trafficking, slavery, torture and the forced disappearance of women and children, according to court documents.
Mr. Epstein died in New York in August of 2019 serving prison term, the guards found him unresponsive in his jail cell where he was awaiting trial.
Special Rapporteurs Reem Alsalem and Mama Fatima Singhateh in a press release issued voiced deep concern over the vast network of underage victims and survivors lured into the “perverse world” of Mr. Epstein and his now jailed accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell as well as their ability to operate with impunity “for so many years”.
“The way in which this case is dealt with by law enforcement and the judiciary will set an important precedent for the future,” they said.
“It will either send the message that such crimes against women and children are unacceptable or confirm that power and connections will shield those responsible from accountability.”
According to media reports, over 150 people connected to or simply named in legal proceedings related to Epstein and his network are listed in the documents made public.
Many of those named are mentioned only in passing or because they play a role in legal proceedings, and their inclusion does not in any way suggest wrongdoing on their part, the court papers stated.
The rights experts urged law enforcement to ensure full, swift and transparent investigations and that judicial proceedings are conducted with immediate effect, given the nature of the criminal activities and the ongoing investigations at the international level.
“All those who may have participated in, or aided and abetted, these heinous crimes of violence against women and children, including through paying for sex and pimping, must be brought to justice,” they said.
The experts highlighted the need to protect their privacy to prevent further stigmatization and trauma in a tribute to the courage of victims and survivors who have come forward despite the risks.
They underscored the importance of witness and victim protection, as well as comprehensive, transformative, victim and survivor-centred reparations to shield them from the risks of additional harm.
They pointed out cases like Mr. Epstein’s demonstrate the continued failure by the international community to prevent the exploitation and abuse of women and children.
“All this must urgently be addressed through pre-emptive responses and accountability, an aspect which is often forgotten,” they said.
Mr. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on United States federal charges for sex trafficking after cutting a plea deal in 2008 which saw him serve a 13-month sentence, on a work release programme, for soliciting and procuring a minor.
The so-called non-prosecution agreement helped him avert a possible life sentence, according to media reports.
Ms. Maxwell, a British citizen, was charged with sex crimes in July 2020 and convicted in December 2021. In June 2022, she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Ms. Alsalem, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, and Ms. Singhateh, Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children with Human Rights Council working groups, monitor and report on a specific country or rights theme.
