ICC suspends prosecutor Karim Khan following sexual misconduct investigation

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, faces suspension after the court's governing body ruled he committed serious misconduct. The decision follows an 18-month probe into allegations of non-consensual sexual interactions with a lawyer in his office.

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The decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair, and unsupported by evidence

The court's executive bureau has recommended Khan's removal from office. This recommendation will be sent to all 125 ICC member states, who will convene a special session to vote on his future. The bureau stated it had made a decision on the disciplinary proceedings but kept the details confidential.

Khan's legal team strongly rejected the decision, asserting that he denies any wrongdoing. They described the ruling as "unlawful, procedurally unfair, and unsupported by evidence." This situation places the ICC, already under scrutiny for actions like issuing arrest warrants for Israeli officials, into a significant crisis.

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The decision of the Bureau and the related documentation will remain confidential

Khan has been on voluntary leave since May of the previous year pending the inquiry's outcome. He is the first ICC prosecutor to be formally suspended by the court's oversight body. Earlier reports indicated a UN investigation found a "factual basis" for the allegations, but a subsequent review by three judges deemed the evidence insufficient to prove the claims "beyond a reasonable doubt."

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factual basis