February 18, 2026 | 02:57 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A panel of United Nations (UN) experts has warned that the crimes committed by convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein may meet the international legal threshold for crimes against humanity.
On Tuesday, independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) issued a statement following the release of millions of pages of US government documents related to Epstein’s criminal investigations, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The experts described the files as a record of systemic dehumanization, corruption, and racialized abuse.
"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 statement read.
The UNHRC panel has called for a full investigation into Epstein and his network of associates, including prominent figures in politics, business, science, and global culture. They warned that the files suggest the existence of a "global criminal enterprise."
"All the allegations contained in the ‘Epstein Files’ are egregious in nature and require independent, thorough, and impartial investigation, as well as inquiries to determine how such crimes could have taken place for so long," the experts said.
This statement comes after the January 30 release of 3.5 million pages of Epstein-related documents, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan law passed in November 2025.
The legislation required the US government to make all documents publicly available in a searchable format, redacting only information necessary to protect victims.
However, critics have argued that the release was incomplete. Reports suggest that the US government may hold more than six million related files. The documents revealed new details about Epstein’s connections to influential figures, yet few have faced accountability.
Epstein himself faced minimal consequences for his crimes. In 2008, he struck a plea deal in Florida, pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution and sex trafficking, serving just 13 months.
He was later arrested in 2019 on federal charges, but died by suicide in his jail cell. Epstein’s former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, was sentenced to over 20 years for her role in the trafficking network.
The UN panel criticized extensive redactions in the files, which appear to have protected the identities of powerful individuals.
"The reluctance to fully disclose information or broaden investigations, has left many survivors feeling retraumatized and subjected to what they describe as ‘institutional gaslighting’," the experts said.
Their concerns mirror those raised in the United States, where lawmakers claim that the Trump administration, a former associate of Epstein, violated the Transparency Act by redacting beyond legal limits. The experts also noted a "botched redactions that exposed sensitive victim information," urging more to be done to ensure justice.
"Any suggestion that it is time to move on from the ‘Epstein files’ is unacceptable. It represents a failure of responsibility towards victims," the UN experts said.
Maxwell’s Past Appearances at the UN
The UN has faced scrutiny over Maxwell’s past involvement with the organization. She spoke at two UN events: the first in June 2013 alongside Palau’s ambassador Stuart Beck, where they discussed oceans and sustainable development, and the second in February 2014 at an event organized by the Sustainable Oceans Alliance, Italy, Palau, and the Global Partnerships Forum.
A UN spokesperson told Reuters in 2020 that only these two instances were confirmed, but noted that records of informal meetings are not fully maintained.
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