The International Criminal Court suspended its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, late Monday after the court's oversight body referred the British barrister for disciplinary proceedings over allegations of sexual misconduct. The move sidelines one of international justice's most prominent figures as the court weighs whether to remove him permanently.
Khan, 56, has faced accusations for more than two years that he engaged in non-consensual sexual interactions with a female lawyer who worked in his office. He has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing throughout the saga, which has hung over the court during a period in which it has pursued some of its highest-profile cases.
The executive bureau of the court's governing body concluded that Khan had committed serious misconduct following an investigation that ran for roughly 18 months. The bureau recommended that the prosecutor be removed from office, escalating a matter that had simmered behind closed doors at The Hague.
A final decision on Khan's fate now rests with the Assembly of States Parties, the body of member states that oversees the ICC. The assembly is expected to convene a special session to determine whether he can remain in his post or should be permanently removed.
Khan stepped back temporarily from his duties last year while the inquiry proceeded, but Monday's action formalized his suspension and removed him from the leadership of the prosecutor's office during the disciplinary process. Deputy prosecutors have been handling day-to-day work in his absence.
The case has created a difficult moment for the court, which depends on the credibility of its prosecutions and the conduct of its senior officials. The prosecutor's office leads investigations into alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and its independence and integrity are central to the institution's standing.
Khan, a veteran of international criminal law who took office in 2021, had built the prosecutor's docket around several closely watched investigations. His suspension injects fresh uncertainty into the office's work at a time when the court is already under political pressure from several governments.
The Assembly of States Parties will ultimately decide whether to accept the bureau's recommendation. Until it acts, Khan remains suspended, and the court faces a period of leadership limbo at the top of its prosecutorial arm.