In an unprecedented development within the International Criminal Court, the duties of Prosecutor Karim Khan were suspended, after the court’s supervisory body referred his file to disciplinary measures against the backdrop of accusations of sexual misconduct, which are accusations that the British official categorically denies.
The decision came after months of pressure and investigations against Khan, making the case one of the most sensitive files in the history of the International Criminal Court since its founding.
The Assembly of States Parties, the court’s supervisory body, announced that its decision was based on a report prepared by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, in addition to a review of available evidence, the opinions of judicial experts, and written submissions submitted during the investigations.
According to what was reported by the Associated Press, the UN investigation concluded that there was evidence indicating that Khan had “non-consensual sexual intercourse” with one of his female assistants on various occasions, including inside his office, his residence, and during an external work mission.
On the other hand, a legal committee composed of three judges considered that the results of the investigation were not conclusive enough, which left the door open for further legal procedures and deliberations.
The final decision regarding Khan’s future is in the hands of the Assembly of States Parties, which is preparing to hold a special session to decide his fate and determine whether he will continue in his position or face additional measures that may end with his removal from the court.
Khan had temporarily stepped down from his duties in May 2025 pending the completion of investigations, in an exceptional step the International Criminal Court had never witnessed before.
Karim Khan’s case receives wide international attention, not only because of his position at the head of the highest prosecutorial authority in the court, but also because of the prominent role he played in recent years in highly sensitive international files, most notably the investigations related to the war in Ukraine and the war in Gaza, in addition to his decisions that sparked widespread political controversy on the international scene.
The International Criminal Court is the international judicial body charged with prosecuting the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and any crisis within its leading institutions is seen as a direct test of its credibility and independence at a time that is witnessing an unprecedented escalation in international conflicts.
