ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan Suspended Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Karim Khan, the 56-year-old British barrister who has served as ICC chief prosecutor since 2021, was suspended from his duties late Monday after the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties — the 21-member executive committee of the court's oversight body — voted by qualified majority to refer disciplinary proceedings to the full Assembly. The suspension follows an 18-month investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), which generated more than 5,000 pages of evidence and found a factual basis for allegations that Khan engaged in nonconsensual sexual contact with a female aide in his office, at his private residence, and while on official missions. A subsequent review by a panel of three external judges found the evidence insufficient to establish misconduct beyond a reasonable doubt, creating a legal tension at the heart of the process. Documents seen by the Associated Press indicate the Bureau nonetheless concluded Khan had committed 'serious misconduct' and a 'serious breach of duty.' Khan, who has been on voluntary leave since May 2025, has steadfastly denied all wrongdoing, and his lawyers called the suspension 'unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,' vowing to challenge it. The case now moves to a special session of the full Assembly of States Parties, where a simple majority of 63 of the 125 member states would be required to remove Khan; sources indicate the vote is unlikely before late July at the earliest. The proceedings are unprecedented for the ICC and have unfolded amid broader political pressures on the court, including US sanctions over arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials.