THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, has been suspended from duty pending a vote by the court’s member states.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The suspension, effective immediately, was announced late Monday by the ICC’s management oversight body after a confidential investigation found Khan committed serious misconduct.
The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties then voted to refer the disciplinary proceedings to the full Assembly, which now holds the power to remove him from office.
The move plunges the world’s only permanent international war crimes court into a leadership crisis, as Khan has been on leave since May 2025 following allegations of sexual misconduct by a junior female staff member.
The prominent British lawyer, who led high-profile investigations into alleged crimes in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan, categorically denies any wrongdoing.
The Bureau’s decision was not unanimous, revealing stark divisions among the 21 member states: 12 found serious misconduct had occurred and warranted a referral to the Assembly of States Parties for possible removal.
Seven members acknowledged misconduct but deemed it not serious, recommending only suspension, while two found Khan entirely innocent and backed his immediate return to office.
The Bureau emphasized the suspension is not an indication of the final outcome but rather a procedural step under the court’s rules. A special session of the Assembly of States Parties has been convened as soon as possible for the full membership to consider the matter.
The assessment was based on a report from the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, along with underlying evidence, advice from an ad hoc panel of judicial experts, and written submissions.
The related documentation remains confidential, and the Bureau has called for due respect for privacy, the rights of all parties, and the integrity of the ongoing process.
Khan, elected Chief Prosecutor in 2021 for a nine-year term, has consistently denied the allegations first reported in early 2025, characterizing them through his legal representatives as a targeted and malicious fabrication.
A spokesperson for Khan declined to comment on the suspension itself, reiterating that he maintains his innocence, looks forward to clearing his name, and has cooperated fully with every stage of the process.
The Assembly of States Parties will now hold an extraordinary session, where a qualified majority vote would be required to permanently remove Khan from office – a move that would make him the first ICC prosecutor ever ousted for misconduct.
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