The ICC said on Monday that it will initiate an external investigation into sexual misconduct charges against its head prosecutor, Karim Khan, who has previously refuted these allegations. Khan stated he will persist in supervising enquiries into accusations of war crimes, including those in Israel and Gaza, throughout the probe.
The International Criminal Court’s governing body launched on Monday an external probe into purported misconduct by top prosecutor Karim Khan, who has refuted the claims.
In May, Karim Khan garnered attention by requesting ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and three senior Hamas commanders.
The president of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), Paivi Kaukoranta, said an external probe was needed “in order to ensure a fully independent, impartial and fair process.”
The 54-year-old Briton said he welcomed the investigation and “the opportunity to engage in this process”.
“I will be continuing all other functions as prosecutor, in line with my mandate, across situations addressed by the International Criminal Court,” Khan said.
Karim Khan has reportedly been accused of sexual misconduct towards a member of his office, but he has said there was “no truth to suggestions” of such behaviour.
“It was with deep sadness that I understood reports of misconduct were to be aired publicly in relation to me,” Khan said in a statement emailed to AFP at the time.
UPDATE
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has temporarily stepped aside until a sexual misconduct probe against him is concluded.
Karim Khan will take leave until the end of the external investigation, which began late last year, and his deputy prosecutors will run the office in his absence, the ICC said in a statement.
Shortly after the allegations came to light last year, Mr Khan asked the ICC’s watchdog, the Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), to conduct an internal investigation into the claims.
The court’s governing body later decided to pursue it externally to “ensure a fully independent, impartial and fair process,” its president said.
The investigation comes during intense scrutiny of the ICC and Mr Khan after his request for arrest warrants linked to the Israel-Hamas war – including for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Israel is not an ICC member and its government, along with Netanyahu, strongly rejected the accusations.
In February this year, US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on ICC officials while Netanyahu visited Washington DC.
The ICC said the US sanctions have put the court itself at risk and called on its member states and global civil society to “stand united for justice and fundamental human rights”.
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