ICC prosecutor Karim Khan suspended pending misconduct investigation

Credit: Greger Ravik (CC BY 2.0)

The decision was taken by the bureau of the court’s Assembly of States Parties, which has referred the matter to the ICC’s 125 member states. A special session will be convened “as soon as possible” for states to vote on Mr Khan’s future. The bureau said the suspension does not prejudge the outcome of the proceedings.

Mr Khan has repeatedly denied the allegations. His lawyers described the suspension as “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence”.

The British lawyer has been on voluntary leave since May 2025. Any finding against him would require the support of a two-thirds majority of member states, followed by a separate vote on whether he should be removed from office.

The allegations first emerged in 2024 and prompted an investigation by the ICC’s Independent Oversight Mechanism. That inquiry was later closed after the alleged victim declined to participate, with investigators saying there was insufficient evidence to substantiate the claims.

A second referral led to a broader investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, which examined allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of authority. The inquiry ran from November 2024 to December 2025 and produced more than 5,000 pages of evidence and testimony.

Even if member states vote to remove Mr Khan, any dismissal could face a lengthy legal challenge through the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization.