ICC chief prosecutor suspended pending decision by oversight body on sexual misconduct allegations

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, was suspended from his duties late Monday after the court’s oversight body referred him for disciplinary proceedings over sexual misconduct allegations. The 56-year-old British barrister faces claims of nonconsensual sexual contact with a female aide, including incidents in his office, private residence, and during official missions, according to a UN investigation report seen by The Associated Press. The suspension comes after the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, reviewed findings from the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) and a three-judge panel’s legal assessment. While the investigation uncovered evidence of misconduct, the judges ruled the findings were not conclusive enough to determine guilt. Khan has denied any wrongdoing and temporarily stepped down in May 2025 pending the investigation’s outcome. The allegations, first reported over two years ago, include claims that Khan moved the aide into his office after seeing her in another ICC department and later took her on official trips. Whistleblower documents allege he asked her to rest with him on a hotel bed, sexually touched her, locked his office door, and made inappropriate advances. The Assembly of States Parties, which requires a majority vote from its 125 member states to remove Khan, will now convene a special session to decide his fate. No date has been set for the session, but the assembly stated it would meet as soon as possible. Khan’s legal team indicated they would issue a statement Tuesday. The case marks an unprecedented situation for the ICC, forcing the Assembly to create new rules to address the allegations.