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UN experts flag Epstein case as potential crimes against humanity
UN-appointed human rights experts say newly released Jeffrey Epstein files suggest a widespread, organized system of sexual abuse that may meet the legal threshold for crimes against humanity.
18.02.2026
By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
Source:https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/un-experts-flag-epstein-case-as-potential-crimes-against-hum
A panel of independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council has said newly released documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein indicate the possible existence of a coordinated, transnational system of abuse that may meet the legal definition of crimes against humanity.
The assessment follows the publication of millions of pages of material by the US Department of Justice under legislation passed by Congress in November requiring the disclosure of all non-classified Epstein-related files. The most recent release reportedly includes millions of pages of investigative records, correspondence, flight logs, images, and video evidence compiled across multiple federal and state inquiries.
Crimes against humanity
After reviewing the material, the UN-appointed experts said the abuses described in the files were not isolated acts but appeared embedded within a broader structure characterized by exploitation, misogyny, racism, and entrenched power imbalances.
“So grave is the scale, nature, systematic character, and transnational reach of these atrocities against women and girls, that a number of them may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” the experts said in a statement.
Under international law, crimes against humanity require evidence of widespread or systematic attacks directed against civilian populations. The experts indicated that the scale, organization, and cross-border dimensions described in the files could potentially satisfy those criteria if confirmed through further investigation.
The panel called for a comprehensive, independent, and impartial inquiry into both the alleged abuses and the institutional failures that may have allowed them to continue over many years. They also urged scrutiny into whether powerful networks shielded perpetrators from accountability.
Investigative gaps
Concerns were raised about the manner in which documents were released. The experts cited “serious compliance failures and botched redactions” that exposed sensitive victim information. More than 1,200 victims have been identified in the records made public so far.
“The reluctance to fully disclose information or broaden investigations, has left many survivors feeling retraumatised and subjected to what they describe as ‘institutional gaslighting’,” the experts said.
The release has triggered international reactions. Authorities in the United Kingdom have reportedly renewed scrutiny over private flights linked to Epstein that landed at British airports, while officials in New Mexico, where Epstein owned property, have moved to advance additional state-level investigations. The disclosures have also fueled political debate in the United States over transparency and whether earlier federal agreements limited accountability.
Systemic failures
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution-related charges involving a minor and later served a jail sentence under a controversial non-prosecution agreement. In 2019, he was arrested again on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. He died in custody later that year; his death was officially ruled a suicide.
The UN experts’ intervention elevates the case beyond domestic criminal proceedings, raising questions about whether the allegations documented in the newly released material require international legal consideration and a broader reckoning with systemic failures that enabled prolonged abuse.
UN-
18.02.2026
By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
Source:https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/un-
A panel of independent experts appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council has said newly released documents connected to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein indicate the possible existence of a coordinated, transnational system of abuse that may meet the legal definition of crimes against humanity.
The assessment follows the publication of millions of pages of material by the US Department of Justice under legislation passed by Congress in November requiring the disclosure of all non-
Crimes against humanity
After reviewing the material, the UN-
“So grave is the scale, nature, systematic character, and transnational reach of these atrocities against women and girls, that a number of them may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” the experts said in a statement.
Under international law, crimes against humanity require evidence of widespread or systematic attacks directed against civilian populations. The experts indicated that the scale, organization, and cross-
The panel called for a comprehensive, independent, and impartial inquiry into both the alleged abuses and the institutional failures that may have allowed them to continue over many years. They also urged scrutiny into whether powerful networks shielded perpetrators from accountability.
Investigative gaps
Concerns were raised about the manner in which documents were released. The experts cited “serious compliance failures and botched redactions” that exposed sensitive victim information. More than 1,200 victims have been identified in the records made public so far.
“The reluctance to fully disclose information or broaden investigations, has left many survivors feeling retraumatised and subjected to what they describe as ‘institutional gaslighting’,” the experts said.
The release has triggered international reactions. Authorities in the United Kingdom have reportedly renewed scrutiny over private flights linked to Epstein that landed at British airports, while officials in New Mexico, where Epstein owned property, have moved to advance additional state-
Systemic failures
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to prostitution-
The UN experts’ intervention elevates the case beyond domestic criminal proceedings, raising questions about whether the allegations documented in the newly released material require international legal consideration and a broader reckoning with systemic failures that enabled prolonged abuse.