AP —
In an unprecedented move, the embattled International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor was suspended late on Monday after the court’s watchdog referred British lawyer Karim Khan to disciplinary proceedings.
The 56-year-old faces allegations of sexual misconduct with female aides in a scandal that has been going on for more than two years. He categorically denied any wrongdoing.
The final decision on Mr. Khan’s fate now rests with the ICC’s oversight body, the Conference of the States Parties, which is expected to hold a special session to decide whether Mr. Khan should remain in his post at the world court.
The executive committee of the court’s watchdog, the Secretariat of the Assembly of States Parties, said in a statement that the decision was based on “the investigation report carried out by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS), the underlying evidence, the advice of a special committee of judicial experts, and written submissions.”
It added that Khan’s suspension pending a parliamentary meeting “does not indicate a final outcome.”
A U.N. investigation found evidence that Khan had “nonconsensual sexual contact with[an aide]in his office, private residence, and on assignment,” according to a copy of the report obtained by The Associated Press. However, a three-judge panel selected by the Executive Committee for the legal evaluation of the findings found the investigation not to be sufficiently conclusive.
Asked for comment, Khan’s legal team said it would issue a statement on Tuesday.
Khan had already temporarily stepped down in May 2025, pending the outcome of the investigation. This process was unprecedented for the ICC, and the Conference of the States Parties had to repeatedly create new rules to respond to the situation.
The allegations against Mr Khan were first reported to the court’s independent watchdog more than two years ago. An Associated Press investigation revealed that Khan is suspected of seeing a woman working in another department at the ICC and transferring her to his office. She then began to regularly take official trips, according to whistleblower documents.
During one trip abroad, Khan asked her to rest with him in a hotel bed and then “had sexual contact with her,” according to the documents. Other non-consensual acts mentioned in the documents included locking her office door and putting his hands in her pockets. He also allegedly asked her several times to accompany him on vacation.
Only the Conference of the Parties has the power to remove Khan from office, which would require a majority vote in a secret vote from 125 member states. 63 countries would need to support his removal.
No date was immediately set for the session, but Congress said it would convene as soon as possible.
