High-profile case9/30/2026

Professor’s Appeal in Doctoral Student Harassment Case Rejected

The Hebrew University’s Disciplinary Appeals Tribunal upheld the decision concerning Professor Karim Alexander Adipersito. He was found guilty of sexually harassing doctoral student Johanna Christina Steinmeier, and the penalty imposed—compensation equal to two gross salaries—remained in effect.

Key facts

•Body: The Hebrew University’s Disciplinary Appeals Tribunal
•The decision was published on September 30, 2026
•The complaint was filed in November 2023
•Events under consideration: the years 2021–2023
•Penalty: two gross monthly salaries
•The case number and exact amount in shekels are not specified

What Happened

Steinmeier began her doctoral studies under Adipersito’s supervision in 2018, when she was 21. In November 2023, she filed a complaint with the official responsible for preventing sexual harassment at the Hebrew University regarding acts that occurred in 2021–2023. The disciplinary tribunal found that the supervisor repeatedly made remarks of a sexual nature and committed indecent acts.

Power Relations

The tribunal found that there were relations of dependency and significant power disparities between the professor and the doctoral student. According to the decision, physical closeness developed between them during joint trips to Paris, and the professor tried to give the relationship a romantic character, but the doctoral student rejected this. The tribunal placed responsibility on the supervisor as the more powerful party, who controlled the academic relationship.

Why the Appeal Was Rejected

Adipersito alleged errors in the factual findings, incorrect translation of the correspondence, and insufficient weight given to evidence supporting him. The appellate panel, chaired by attorney Talia Sasson, found that the lower tribunal had examined the evidence in detail and that the professor’s right to a fair proceeding had not been violated. The panel refused to accept new arguments and evidence: the appeals process is not intended to allow a party to repeatedly improve its evidentiary foundation.

The Penalty Remained in Effect

Following the rejection of the appeal, both the disciplinary conviction and the compensation equal to two gross monthly salaries remained in effect. The appeals tribunal described the penalty as relatively lenient, given the severity of the acts and violations. The exact amount in shekels, the disciplinary case number, and the provisions of the university regulations that were applied are not specified in the source.

The Complainant’s Death

Steinmeier gave testimony but died before the proceeding concluded. The tribunal separately emphasized that it had no information about any connection between her death and the events under consideration. The article describes an internal university disciplinary proceeding and does not report the outcome of any criminal proceeding.

What this means for you

The decision shows that consent to certain forms of closeness does not absolve a lecturer of responsibility when the relationship exists within a framework of academic subordination and clear power disparities. An educational institution’s internal disciplinary body may examine harassment separately from a possible criminal proceeding. New evidence at the appeal stage is generally not accepted merely to remedy deficiencies in the original position.

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