ICC Suspends Prosecutor Karim Khan, 56, Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations
Updated
Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 8
ICC Suspends Prosecutor Karim Khan, 56, Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations
3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Jun 8
Summary
The ICC’s oversight bureau suspended chief prosecutor Karim Khan late Monday and referred him for disciplinary proceedings, leaving his future to a special session of the Assembly of States Parties.
A U.N. internal investigation found evidence of nonconsensual sexual contact with a female aide in Khan’s office, private residence and on mission, though a three-judge panel said the findings were not conclusive enough.
Khan, who has denied wrongdoing, had already stepped aside temporarily in May 2025; his legal team said it would issue a statement Tuesday.
The 125-state assembly alone can remove him permanently, requiring 63 votes in a secret ballot, in what the court described as an unprecedented process that has forced it to devise new rules.
Why was the ICC's prosecutor suspended after a judicial panel cleared him of the very same allegations?
With conflicting verdicts and political intrigue, can the ICC's internal justice system be trusted?
ICC Under Fire: Karim Khan’s Suspension, War Crimes Investigations, and the Struggle for Global Legitimacy
Overview
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is facing a major crisis as its Chief Prosecutor, Karim Khan, is under ongoing investigation for alleged sexual misconduct. Khan took a voluntary leave in May 2025, and was formally suspended by the ICC’s oversight body in June 2026, leaving the leadership of the prosecutor’s office uncertain. This internal turmoil is happening alongside strong external pressures, such as U.S. sanctions and controversy over the ICC’s arrest warrants for Israeli officials. The unresolved disciplinary process and leadership uncertainty are challenging the ICC’s stability and its ability to carry out its mandate effectively.