KUALA LUMPUR — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has suspended its chief prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual abuse allegations following completion of a disciplinary process, with his fate to be decided by the ICC’s 125 member states.
Khan’s suspension and his referral to a special session of the ICC’s member states, was announced by the ICC’s governing body yesterday evening, The Guardian reports.
The referral to member states, who may vote whether to remove him, is seen as an “unprecedented move”, reported the British daily which sighted the decision to suspend and refer Khan in documents.
The allegations of sexual abuse were raised against the British lawyer in 2024 by a female ICC staffer who worked for him at the ICC in The Hague, Netherlands.
Khan allegedly “engaged in coercive and nonconsensual sexual behaviour” between 2023 and 2024. According to the complainant, these episodes occurred in hotel rooms, his office and at his home.
Khan, who has served as ICC prosecutor since 2021, is married to Malaysian human rights and international lawyer Datuk Shyamala Alagendra.
He has categorically denied the allegations, with his lawyers rejecting the claim that he had misused his authority or position to indulge in abusive and exploitative behaviour or any professionally inappropriate behaviour.
Khan has reportedly already temporarily stepped back from investigative and prosecutorial duties. – June 9, 2026