Suspension of ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan
Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC), was suspended late Monday after a two-year investigation into longstanding allegations of sexual harassment.
Khan will stay suspended while awaiting the outcome of a special vote from the court’s 125 member states, which will determine his future. The ICC’s administrative and legislative body, known as the Conference of States Parties, unanimously voted for his suspension during a meeting on Monday night, referring the issue to disciplinary proceedings.
The assessment from the Secretariat relied on an investigation report from the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight (OIOS), along with supporting evidence and advice from an ad hoc committee of judicial experts. Furthermore, written submissions were also considered. The parliamentary statement emphasized the confidentiality of the Secretariat’s decisions and documents, urging respect for the privacy and rights of all parties involved as the process continues.
Over the past two years, Khan has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving female aides at the ICC. One woman claimed Khan engaged in forced and non-consensual sexual activities with her over a sustained period. Khan has denied these claims publicly.
He previously faced suspension from some of his roles in 2025 during the investigation and remains on administrative leave.
A report from the Associated Press, which obtained a copy of the U.N. investigation report, stated that Khan had “nonconsensual sexual contact” with an aide in various locations, including his office and private residence. Notably, a three-judge panel appointed to evaluate the findings concluded that the investigation was “not sufficiently conclusive.”
Khan’s lawyer has strongly criticized the suspension in a statement to international media, calling it “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by the evidence.”
As highlighted by Breitbart News in 2024, Khan, a 56-year-old British-born attorney, is well-known for leading efforts to prosecute Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over actions taken against the terrorist organization Hamas. Reports at the time suggested Khan pressured an unidentified woman not to participate in the investigation into his alleged misconduct. In May 2024, he sought an international arrest warrant for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Job Galant.
In August 2025, Netanyahu stated in an exclusive interview that Khan’s allegations of sexual misconduct attempted to divert attention from his actions against Israel. Israel, like the U.S., is not a member of the ICC.
Netanyahu expressed that Khan’s alleged distraction tactic involved attacking Jews or the Israeli Prime Minister, knowing it could gain support from certain progressives. He claimed that Khan aimed to escape scrutiny regarding his sexual abuse investigation by making unfounded charges against Israel.
During his presidency, Donald Trump imposed sanctions on the ICC after it indicted U.S. soldiers. President Biden later lifted those sanctions, but Trump reinstated and expanded them, targeting ICC judges due to their focus on the U.S. and Israel.
