ICC suspends chief prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual misconduct allegations

Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), faces suspension following allegations of sexual misconduct. The ICC's executive committee voted to refer the case to the court's 125 member states, who will decide Khan's future in a special session.

Allegations against Khan, who has been under US sanctions for seeking the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, first surfaced in 2024. A third party reported alleged misconduct with a female staff member, leading to an investigation by the ICC's Independent Oversight Mechanism. This case was reportedly closed after the victim refused to participate, a decision that drew criticism.

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unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence

A second referral in October 2024 sent the case to the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services for a broader investigation into sexual misconduct and abuse of authority. After nearly a year of investigation, which produced over 5,000 pages of evidence, a panel of three judges reviewed the findings to advise on whether Khan's conduct constituted serious misconduct.

Khan, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, took voluntary leave in 2025 to address them. His lawyers have called the suspension "unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence," stating that Khan "categorically denies having harassed or mistreated any individual, or having misused his position or authority."

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categorically denies having harassed or mistreated any individual, or having misused his position or authority, or engaged in any conduct that could be interpreted as coercive, exploitative, or professionally inappropriate.