Full Breakdown
ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan Suspended Amid Sexual-Misconduct Probe
6/9/2026, 7:18:25 AM
Suspension of ICC Prosecutor: Core Facts
On 9 June 2026 the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties (the ICC’s executive committee) announced the suspension of chief prosecutor Karim Khan pending a special session of the Assembly of States Parties. The suspension follows a disciplinary referral triggered by a United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) investigation that found “non-consensual sexual contact” with a female aide in his office, private residence and on official missions. The Bureau stressed that the suspension “is not an indication of the final outcome.”
Lead-up to the Suspension
Allegations first surfaced in 2024 when a staff member reported coercive behaviour by Khan. An internal watchdog opened a formal inquiry, and the OIOS produced a report in early 2026 detailing alleged non-consensual contact and other misconduct. A three-judge panel appointed by the executive committee subsequently judged the investigation “not conclusive enough.” Khan voluntarily stepped aside in May 2025 while the probe proceeded, leaving the Office of the Prosecutor under interim leadership.
Key Actors and Institutional Framework
- Karim Khan – 56-year-old British barrister, ICC chief prosecutor since 2021.
- Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties – Executive committee that issued the suspension.
- UN OIOS – Produced the investigative report forming the basis of the disciplinary referral.
- Ad hoc panel of judicial experts – Provided legal advice to the Bureau.
- Assembly of States Parties (ASP) – 125 ICC member states that will vote on Khan’s removal; a majority of 63 votes is required.
Timeline of Events
- 2024 – Staff member files sexual-misconduct complaint.
- Early 2026 – UN OIOS releases report finding non-consensual contact.
- May 2025 – Khan takes voluntary leave of absence.
- 8 June 2026 – Executive committee of 21 member states votes by qualified majority to refer the case to the ASP.
- 9 June 2026 – Bureau announces suspension; ASP to convene a special session (date not set).
Quantitative Details
- 125 ICC member states constitute the ASP.
- 21 states formed the executive committee that voted on referral.
- 63 affirmative votes are needed to remove the prosecutor.
- The alleged misconduct spanned 2023-2024.
Significance for the Court
The suspension is unprecedented; no ICC prosecutor has previously been formally suspended. It occurs while the court is handling high-profile cases, notably the prosecution of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, from which Khan has already been removed. The outcome may affect the ICC’s credibility, its internal governance, and perceptions of political interference, given Khan’s earlier pursuit of arrest warrants against Israeli leaders.
Official Statements
- The Bureau said the suspension “is not an indication of the final outcome.”
- Khan’s legal team described the decision as “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence.”
- The OIOS report concluded Khan engaged in “non-consensual sexual contact … in his office, at his private residence, and whilst on mission.”
Dissenting Views and Procedural Concerns
Khan maintains the allegations constitute a “politically motivated smear campaign.” The three-judge panel’s assessment that the OIOS investigation was insufficiently conclusive underscores procedural doubts about the evidentiary basis for the suspension.
