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Jeffrey Epstein was accused of a wide range of crimes against women and underage girls. |
UN independent human rights experts on Friday emphasized no
one is above the law, following the unsealing of nearly 1,000 pages of court
records in the case of US financier Jeffrey Epstein, which shed light on the
disturbing extent of his sexual abuse of teenage girls.
The court documents reveal 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.
Mr. Epstein died in August 2019 after prison guards in New
York found him unresponsive in his jail cell where he was awaiting trial.
In a news release on Friday, Special Rapporteurs Reem
Alsalem and Mama Fatima Singhateh 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."
Call for swift investigations
More than 150 people connected to or simply named in legal
proceedings related to Epstein and his network are listed in the documents made
public, according to media reports.
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.
Given the nature of the criminal activities and the ongoing
investigations at the international level, the rights experts urged law
enforcement to ensure full, swift and transparent investigations and that
judicial proceedings are conducted with immediate effect.
“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.
Tribute to victims
In a tribute to the courage of victims and survivors who
have come forward despite the risks, the Human Rights Council-appointed rights
experts highlighted the need to protect their privacy to prevent further
stigmatization and trauma.
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.
Ms. Alsalem and Ms. Singhateh concluded with a stark
observation, pointing out that 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.
Death and conviction
Mr. Epstein was arrested in July 2019 on United States
federal charges for sex trafficking after previously 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.
The Special Rapporteurs
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, are independent
experts, who along with Human Rights Council-appointed working groups, monitor
and report on a specific country or rights theme.
