ICC bureau recommends firing prosecutor Karim Khan

Diplomats overseeing the International Criminal Court's governance have formally recommended that chief prosecutor Karim Khan be removed from office for maintaining an inappropriate sexual relationship with a junior staff member, according to copies of the decision obtained by Reuters.usnews+1

The recommendation, contained in a 27-page document dated June 8, marks the first time details of the bureau's findings have been publicly reported. It sets the stage for a vote by the ICC's 125-member Assembly of States Parties on July 24 in New York.wsj+1

The Findings

"The evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the prosecutor engaged in a sexual relationship with (the victim)," the document states, according to Reuters. The relationship began in March 2023 and "escalated over time, and in the context of the power imbalance, a sexual relationship could never be appropriate," the decision found.israelhayom+1

The executive bureau based its conclusion on a yearlong investigation conducted by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services. The UN report found that Khan's "behaviour escalated over time resulting in him engaging in non-consensual sexual contact with her in his office, at his private residence and whilst on mission," the document stated.tbsnews+2

The bureau determined that Khan committed "a serious breach of duty and serious misconduct" and recommended "removal from office of the elected official, prosecutor Karim Khan".israelhayom+1

Khan's Response and Next Steps

Khan, a 56-year-old British barrister who has served as chief prosecutor for five years, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. His lawyers called the decision "unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported," according to Reuters. Khan voluntarily stepped down in May 2025 pending the investigation and was formally suspended by the ICC's oversight body on June 8.reuters+2

A minimum of 63 of the 125 member states must vote in favor of dismissal for Khan to be removed. It remains unclear which way the vote will go. Khan has also been suspended by Britain's independent regulatory body for court lawyers, which is set to evaluate his situation in the coming weeks.usnews+1

The complaint was originally filed by a female lawyer at the tribunal in 2024. Notably, an ad hoc panel of three judges that reviewed the UN findings previously concluded that the evidence was insufficient to confirm the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt — a finding Khan's lawyers have cited in his defense. The bureau, however, reached a different conclusion and proceeded with its recommendation.i24news+1

The ICC has stated that even if Khan is dismissed, the arrest warrants his office has issued will remain in effect.i24news