ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan suspended pending vote on misconduct allegations

THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan has been suspended pending a vote by member states on his future, the court’s governing body said Monday, following an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.

A diplomatic source briefed on the decision said the ICC’s governing body executive bureau concluded that Khan committed serious misconduct after an 18-month investigation into allegations that he engaged in non-consensual sexual conduct with a lawyer working in his office. The source added that the bureau has recommended his removal from office.

The court’s governing body will now forward its findings to all 125 member states of the International Criminal Court, which will vote on Khan’s future in a special session to be scheduled later.

In a press release, the bureau said it had reached a decision on disciplinary proceedings involving Khan and referred the matter to the ICC Assembly of States Parties. It did not disclose details of its conclusions.

“The decision of the Bureau and the related documentation will remain confidential,” the statement said.

Khan’s legal team rejected the findings, saying in a statement that he denies all wrongdoing. “The decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,” the statement said.

The ICC has been facing internal turmoil amid the investigation into Khan — one of its most senior officials — as well as external pressure, including U.S. sanctions linked to the court’s actions, such as arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials over alleged war crimes.

Khan has been on voluntary leave since May, pending the outcome of the inquiry. He is the first ICC prosecutor to be formally suspended by the court’s oversight body.

Earlier reports cited by sources indicated that United Nations investigators found a “factual basis” for the allegations made by a female aide, with witness accounts supporting her claims.

However, a separate assessment by three judges reviewing the U.N. findings concluded that the evidence was insufficient to prove the allegations “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Khan’s lawyers told Reuters that the judges unanimously found the factual findings did not establish misconduct or breach of duty.

-Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Bart Meijer and Lincoln Feast/Reuters