The Senior Administrative Bureau of the International Criminal Court has announced that the duties of Karim Khan have been suspended pending a final decision by the States Parties to the institution. This decision follows an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Karim Khan, who serves as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, has been one of the prominent figures involved in pursuing cases that, among other outcomes, led to the issuance of arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
According to reports, Karim Khan is now facing allegations of sexual harassment of a staff member of the International Criminal Court. An informed source told Reuters that the court’s governing bureau concluded, after an 18-month investigation, that he had committed sexual harassment.
The source added that the main allegation concerns non-consensual sexual relations with a lawyer working in the Office of the Prosecutor. It has also been reported that the governing bureau has proposed his dismissal from the position of Prosecutor.
The findings are expected to be submitted to the 125 member states of the International Criminal Court, which will convene in an extraordinary session to decide and vote on the future of Karim Khan’s role.
In an official statement, the Court said that the governing bureau had made a decision regarding disciplinary proceedings related to Karim Khan and referred the matter to the Assembly of States Parties for further review. However, details of the decision have not been disclosed.
The institution further emphasized that both the decision of the governing bureau and the related documents will remain confidential.
In response, Karim Khan’s lawyers stated that their client strongly rejects the bureau’s conclusions and continues to deny any wrongdoing. They further argued that the decision is legally and procedurally challengeable and is not supported by sufficient evidence.
Karim Khan had previously been subjected to sanctions by the United States following his request for arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Israeli officials on charges of committing war crimes in Gaza.
He had also requested in February 2025 that the International Criminal Court issue arrest warrants for Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
Ultimately, in July 2025, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Hibatullah Akhundzada and Abdul Hakim Haqqani.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
