ICC Anti-Israel Prosecutor Karim Khan Suspended In Sexual Misconduct Probe

ICC Anti-Israel Prosecutor Karim Khan Suspended In Sexual Misconduct Probe

A little over a year ago, my Legal Insurrection colleague Vijeta Uniyal reported that the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, had been forced to step down temporarily amid ongoing investigations into allegations of sexual assault against him.

Now Khan has been completely sidelined, with the court’s governing body announcing his suspension while member states prepare to vote on whether he keeps his job after this sexual harassment probe.

A diplomatic source briefed on the decision says the court’s governing body’s executive bureau has ruled Khan had committed serious misconduct following an 18-months long probe into accusations that Khan had non-consensual sexual interactions with a lawyer in his office.

… The ICC’s governing body will send its conclusion on to all 125 ICC member states who are expected to put Khan’s possible removal from office to a vote at a later date.

So at least 2/3 of ICC bureau states didn't buy Karim Khan's claim that he had never engaged in any prohibited conduct with the complainant that “could be construed as inappropriate, unwelcome or abusive” and did not have a “sexual relationship” with her. https://t.co/9AJowD5mk7

— Kenneth Roth (@KenRoth) June 8, 2026

It must be noted that back in March of this year, The New York Times reported that a team from the United Nations had investigated the allegations at the court’s request, with the findings then reviewed by a panel of judges who evaluated the evidence. The judges determined unanimously that the evidence did not meet the legal standard for misconduct.

Ezequiel Jimenez Martinez, the author of a recent book on International Criminal Court governance, said that relevant international labor laws required the judges to apply a standard of “beyond a reasonable doubt” when assessing the evidence.

That standard can be difficult to meet in sexual misconduct cases, because the allegations often have little evidence other than the testimony of those involved.

But, he said, he would be “very surprised” if the court’s executive body rejected the judges’ view that the evidence did not meet the threshold for misconduct — meaning that their advisory opinion could pave the way for Mr. Khan to remain in his job.

⚖️ ICC PROSECUTOR UNDER FIRE: INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES KHAN IS TO FACE SERIOUS SEXUAL MISCONDUCT CHARGES

ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has been suspended after an investigation reportedly found he committed serious sexual misconduct. The allegations, which Khan denies, will… pic.twitter.com/vCd2aQEJTX

— Mossad Commentary (@MOSSADil) June 8, 2026

It appears that the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the oversight body representing the countries that ratified the court’s founding treaty, took the allegations seriously, however. It announced the decision following a qualified majority vote.

The Bureau confirmed that its move was based on a comprehensive investigation conducted by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, underlying evidence, and the legal advice of an ad hoc panel of judicial experts.

Khan has been sidelined from all official duties pending a final decision by the full Assembly, which will convene an emergency special session ‘as soon as possible’.

Khan was notorious for issuing arrest warrants for prominent Israelis, as Vijeta underscored in his original report.

In May 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants against Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The Hague-based court in November 2024 granted those warrants for the two leaders for overseeing a military operation to free 24o hostages from Hamas’ captivity in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre.

By issuing the warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu, the court ordered its 125 member states, including most European countries, to hand over the Israeli leader if he traveled to these countries. Germany and Hungary have refused to comply with these absurd orders.

The investigation into Khan began in October 2024, after whistleblower allegations related to the treatment of female staff.

According to whistleblower documents seen by AP, Khan is alleged to have seen the woman working in another ICC department and moved her into his office. She later became a regular presence on official trips, the documents said.

On one foreign trip, Khan allegedly asked her to rest with him on a hotel bed and then “sexually touched her,” the documents said. Later, he came to her room at 3 a.m. and knocked on the door for 10 minutes, according to allegations in the documents.

Other alleged nonconsensual behavior cited in the documents included locking the door of his office and sticking his hand in her pocket. He also allegedly asked her several times to accompany him on a vacation.

Two co-workers reported the alleged misconduct to the court’s watchdog in May 2024. The investigation was closed after five days when the woman opted against filing a formal complaint because she said she feared retaliation, AP reported at the time.

The ICC’s decision to sideline Khan despite a prior judicial finding that the evidence failed to meet the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard underscores a troubling mix of institutional inconsistency and political undercurrents, particularly given his high-profile and controversial actions against Israeli leadership.

Whether this reflects a genuine commitment to accountability or a convenient recalibration amid mounting criticism of the court remains an open question, but the episode further erodes confidence in an institution already struggling with credibility, coherence, and accusations of selective enforcement.

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