International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan was suspended from his duties late on Monday after the court’s oversight body referred him for disciplinary proceedings amid growing pressure.
In a case that has attracted controversy for more than two years, Khan faces allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female aide. He has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
The final decision on the future of the British lawyer now rests with the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, which will hold a special session to determine whether Khan should remain in his position.
The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the executive committee of the court’s oversight body, said in a statement on Monday that its assessment was based “on the report of an investigation undertaken by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the underlying evidence, the advice of an ad hoc Panel of judicial experts, and written submissions.”
According to a copy of the report reviewed by the Associated Press, the UN investigation found evidence that Khan had “non-consensual sexual contact with (the aide) in his office, at his private residence, and whilst on work mission.” However, a three-judge panel selected by the executive committee for a legal assessment of the findings found that the investigation was not conclusive enough.
Khan had temporarily stepped aside from his duties in May 2025 pending the outcome of the investigation.
The measures are unprecedented in the history of the ICC, prompting the Assembly of States Parties to repeatedly introduce new rules to deal with the case.
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