ICC prosecutor Karim Khan suspended amid sexual misconduct probe
The International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor, Karim Khan, has been removed from his duties following allegations that he sexually assaulted a junior staff member and then tried to suppress her formal complaint. The decision, confirmed by ICC presidency officials on Thursday, marks one of the most serious institutional crises in the court’s 22-year history.
What the allegations say
The female staff member, whose identity has not been disclosed, submitted a written complaint to United Nations investigators alleging that Khan engaged in an improper sexual relationship and used his position to prevent her from pursuing the matter through official channels. The UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services has been conducting an independent investigation since early 2024. Khan denies everything. He issued a statement calling the allegations “baseless” and insisting that any contact between himself and the staffer was entirely consensual and professional.
But the ICC presidency didn’t wait for the investigation to conclude. Acting under Article 47 of the Rome Statute, the three-judge panel that governs court administration placed Khan on temporary suspension pending the outcome of the probe.
Khan’s suspension and what it means
Khan, a British lawyer who took office in June 2021, has been one of the court’s most high-profile figures. He issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, moves that generated enormous geopolitical pressure. His suspension leaves the court in an awkward position at precisely the moment it’s navigating some of its most consequential cases.
Deputy Prosecutor Nazari Nkwebe Liriss will assume the role on an acting basis. It’s not clear how long the arrangement will last.
A court spokesperson said in a statement: “The ICC presidency acted swiftly and in full accordance with the court’s legal framework to ensure that institutional integrity is preserved during this period.”
Pressure had been building for weeks
The allegations first surfaced in a September 2024 report by Politico, which cited internal documents and interviews with multiple court staffers. Within days, 37 ICC staff members signed a letter urging the presidency to act. Yet it took nearly two months before formal suspension proceedings were initiated. Critics said the delay itself was damaging.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, called on Thursday for full transparency in the investigation and warned that the court’s credibility depends on it holding its own leadership to the same standards it applies to others.
What happens next
The UN investigation is expected to deliver a preliminary report by early 2025. If the findings support the allegations, Khan could face formal removal proceedings requiring a two-thirds majority vote from the Assembly of States Parties, which includes 124 member countries.
It’s a process that could take months. And given the political sensitivities surrounding several of Khan’s active cases, member states will be watching closely — not just for a verdict on one man’s conduct, but for what it says about the institution’s ability to govern itself.
