ICC CHIEF PROSECUTOR KARIM KHAN SUSPENDED OVER MISCONDUCT FINDINGS

The International Criminal Court has suspended its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, following a disciplinary process linked to sexual abuse allegations against him. The ICC's governing body announced the decision on Monday evening after its executive committee voted to refer proceedings against Khan to a special session of the court's member states. A committee of 21 member states voted by qualified majority to determine that Khan had committed serious misconduct in connection with the sexual abuse claims. Khan, a prominent British lawyer, has repeatedly denied the allegations, which first emerged in 2024.

The allegations were brought by a woman who worked for Khan at the ICC's headquarters in The Hague and relate to his conduct between 2023 and 2024. The woman alleged he engaged in coercive and non-consensual sexual behaviour over an extended period. The executive committee based its decision on a United Nations watchdog report, advice from a panel of judicial experts, and written submissions understood to have been provided by Khan and the alleged victim. Khan had already temporarily stepped aside from running the ICC division responsible for investigating and prosecuting individuals accused of atrocities.

The governing body stated that the suspension was "not an indication of the final outcome." Referring proceedings to the ICC's 125 member states is an unprecedented move for the court. The process could lead to a vote on whether to remove Khan from office entirely. The vote by the executive committee is the latest development in proceedings that have embroiled the ICC for nearly two years.