Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has been suspended with immediate effect by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, which represents the court’s 125 member states, according to an official statement from the tribunal. The decision comes amid an ongoing investigation into alleged sexual misconduct, an allegation Khan denies.
The suspension follows months of internal and external procedures triggered by a 2024 complaint alleging inappropriate behavior involving a staff member. According to the information outlined in the investigation process, the allegations were first raised by two colleagues of the complainant and were subsequently referred to the ICC’s Independent Oversight Mechanism for review.
The case was later escalated to the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), which produced a report referencing allegations of non-consensual sexual contact. However, judges appointed by the Assembly to assess the findings concluded in March 2026 that the investigation did not produce “conclusive findings” and did not establish misconduct under the required criminal evidentiary standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt.
The ICC emphasized that the suspension is procedural and does not indicate any determination of guilt or innocence. Final responsibility for deciding whether Khan could return to his post lies with the Assembly of States Parties, which may take up the matter in an extraordinary session.
Khan had previously stepped back temporarily from his duties in May 2025 due to the ongoing investigation. The broader case has unfolded alongside heightened political pressure on the ICC, including international disputes over its investigations and sanctions imposed by the United States in response to arrest warrants issued in 2024 targeting senior Israeli and Hamas figures.
According to the report, Khan has consistently denied all allegations of misconduct, including during formal questioning as part of the investigative process. He has also suggested at times that the accusations form part of a broader campaign against the court, which has faced sustained political scrutiny over its work in recent years.
The ICC’s statement stressed that the suspension does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation and that proceedings will continue under the court’s established oversight mechanisms. The Assembly of States Parties is expected to review the findings and make a final determination on Khan’s status once the process is complete.
Khan, born in Edinburgh in 1970, became the ICC’s third chief prosecutor in 2021. He has previously worked in multiple international tribunals, including cases involving war crimes in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the former Yugoslavia, and has served in senior roles within United Nations investigative bodies.
The case marks a significant moment for the ICC, which continues to face legal and political pressure while managing high-profile investigations across multiple conflict zones.
