ICC Chief Prosecutor Khan Formally Suspended Following Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Khan has been Chief Prosecutor at the ICC since June 2021. He had, among other things, secured arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin. The USA, Russia, and Israel are not members of the court. Primarily because of the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, the USA increased its pressure on the court and imposed sanctions on staff and judges.

Background of the Allegations

The background to the suspension is allegations of sexual misconduct. In 2024, a close staff member accused the British lawyer of sexual assault. According to media reports, including the Wall Street Journal, an assistant informed UN officials that Khan had sexually harassed her and ultimately forced her to have sexual intercourse. He is said to have pressured her repeatedly and over an extended period of time and forced her to engage in sexual acts.

Khan (56) has provisionally stepped back from his duties for just over a year and had wanted to return once the allegations were clarified. Because of the allegations against him, he already stepped down from his position in May of last year. He rejects all accusations and declared his willingness to cooperate with investigators. He denies all allegations.

UN Investigation and Legal Opinion

A commission of the United Nations had investigated the allegations. It submitted its report in December 2025. The report has not been published to date. Three judges of the World Criminal Court had submitted a legal opinion on the basis of the investigation. This, too, has not been published. Three judges of the World Criminal Court had submitted a legal opinion on the basis of the investigation.

How the proceedings will continue is open. The case will be referred to the Assembly of all States Parties, which must decide on a removal from office. 125 states have signed the foundational treaty of the Criminal Court, including all EU states. The special session should take place as soon as possible, it was said from The Hague.

Impact on the Criminal Court

With the suspension, Khan temporarily loses all powers as Chief Prosecutor. Until a decision by the States Parties, the leadership of the office remains vacant, which affects pending proceedings and ongoing investigations. Observers point out that the ICC is under considerable political pressure precisely because of the arrest warrants against high-ranking heads of state.

The accusations are serious: Should the suspicion be substantiated, this would be an unprecedented case for a court that itself prosecutes serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. In the view of observers, the credibility of the institution also depends on how transparently the further proceedings are structured.