He is a United Nations chief who travels the world championing press freedom.
But Frank La Rue is less than keen to trumpet news about himself – over allegations he is a sex pest.
The high-powered diplomat is embroiled in an official inquiry into ‘MeToo’-style claims he sexually harassed a woman, it can be revealed.
But when he was asked about it by the Mail, he said: ‘I don’t want to say anything, thank you very much’ and hung up the phone.
Mr La Rue, 65, is an Assistant Director-General of Unesco, the UN’s cultural arm, based in Paris.
His publicly-funded job is to promote freedom of expression globally and organise World Press Freedom Day events. In speeches around the globe, he staunchly defends press freedoms as ‘fundamental’ to democracy.
But neither he nor Unesco seemed very keen on press coverage of themselves over the sex pest allegations.
Married Frank La Rue faces claims of alleged sexual harassment against a woman which is said to have spanned several months in 2016 and 2017
Married Mr La Rue faces claims of alleged sexual harassment against a woman which is said to have spanned several months in 2016 and 2017.
He is said to have backed down after she threatened to tell his wife, but later resumed his unwanted advances.
In November last year, she reported an incident to Unesco bosses which resulted in an inquiry being launched. She also suffered an emotional breakdown and was treated by a doctor, according to informed sources.
In diplomatic circles, it is being referred to as a ‘MeToo’ incident – a reference to the wave of sexual harassment allegations that followed the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
It is understood that Mr La Rue is entitled to diplomatic immunity, although there is no suggestion he has sought to use it.
In November last year, she reported an incident to Unesco bosses which resulted in an inquiry being launched in Mr La Rue
Mr La Rue is being investigated by Unesco’s internal oversight service (IOS). A report is due to be delivered to the organisation’s director-general Audrey Azoula, who will decide his fate.
Mr La Rue told the Mail he believed in ‘responsible reporting’. Asked if he denied sexual harassment, he ended the phonecall.
Before joining Unesco in 2016, Guatemala-born Mr La Rue was previously the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion of freedom of expression.
A Unesco spokesman said: ‘As there is an ongoing investigation no comment can be made at this stage, other than to reiterate harassment in all its forms constitutes an attack on human dignity. Unesco, as an agency of the United Nations system, has a zero tolerance policy and specific procedures in this regard. They are well established and applied for each case following a complaint or referral.’