ICC Chief Prosecutor Khan Suspended Amid Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has been suspended following allegations of sexual misconduct. The decision, made by the court's supervisory body in The Hague, will be finalized by the member states in an extraordinary session to be convened soon.

Khan, a 56-year-old British citizen, has denied the accusations. He had already stepped aside from his duties in May 2025 due to the allegations. The suspension follows an investigation by the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services, which submitted a report in December 2025. This report, along with recommendations from a judicial expert group, formed the basis for the decision.

Since taking office in 2021, Khan has overseen significant ICC actions, including issuing arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The latter warrant, in particular, drew increased pressure on the ICC from the United States, which led to sanctions against some ICC officials and judges. The US, Russia, and Israel are not member states of the ICC.