ICC chief prosecutor Khan suspended over sexual misconduct

The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, was suspended from his duties on Monday, June 8, 2026, after a governing body referred him for disciplinary proceedings over longstanding sexual abuse allegations. The unprecedented decision places his future at the global court in the hands of its full membership.

The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC's 21-member executive committee, voted by a qualified majority to suspend Khan and refer the case to the full Assembly of States Parties for a final decision. In a statement, the bureau emphasized the suspension is not an indication of the final outcome. Khan, a 56-year-old British barrister, has repeatedly and steadfastly denied all allegations of wrongdoing.

The allegations, first reported more than two years ago, were made by a female aide who worked in Khan's office. A United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation found evidence that Khan had non-consensual contact with the aide in his office, at his private residence, and while on official missions, according to copies of its report. Whistleblower documents cited in reports alleged specific incidents, including on a...