ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan loses UK suspension appeal

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has lost his appeal against a suspension from practicing law in the United Kingdom, Britain's legal regulator announced on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The decision deepens the leadership crisis surrounding Khan, who also faces a pivotal vote later this month on whether he will be removed from his position at the global court.

The Bar Standards Board, the U.K.'s legal watchdog, upheld the suspension pending disciplinary proceedings over allegations of sexual misconduct. The board had initially suspended Khan on June 8, describing the measure as one adopted in very serious and urgent cases. Khan, 56, has denied the allegations, which were first reported to the court's independent watchdog more than two years ago and involve a female aide. According to whistleblower documents, the allegations include incidents where Khan allegedly asked the aide to rest with him on a hotel bed and then sexually touched her during an official trip, as well as other alleged nonconsensual behavior.

The decision on Khan's future at the ICC now rests with the court's governing body, the Assembly of States Parties. That body will hold a special...