Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, has been suspended pending a vote on his future over allegations of sexual misconduct.
The decision was announced by the ICC’s governing body after it reviewed findings from a UN investigation into claims made by a female aide.
Khan, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing and claimed the allegations against him are “demonstrably untrue”, was suspended while the court’s 125 member states consider whether he should be removed permanently from office.
The accusations include claims that he kissed, groped and had sex with a member of his staff without consent over an 11-month period.
The woman’s husband, going by the pseudonym Malik, told The Times in October: “She called me and said: ‘something’s happened’. The year before she was in a car crash so I thought it was that from the sound of her voice.
“When I look back, two things stood out. There was a huge difference in how she felt: Working with Khan and before Khan.”
“She started taking her toothbrush to work because often, straight after [Khan made sexual advances], she would go to the bathroom and vomit.”
He also alleged that the victim, a Malaysian lawyer identified by the pseudonym Aisha, began feeling suicidal due to the abuse.
And she claimed to have changed her appearance – cutting her hair and getting multiple ear piercings – in an attempt to make herself less appealing to Khan, who allegedly told her “he loves long black hair”.
The British lawyer became a controversial figure in Israel after he applied for arrest warrants in May 2024 against Netanyahu and Gallant in relation to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza war, which the court later granted.
Khan has argued that the cases were based on evidence gathered by his office and were necessary to uphold international law. Israeli officials have strongly rejected the allegations and questioned the court’s jurisdiction.
A final decision on whether Khan can remain in office will be made by the Assembly of States Parties, the body representing the ICC’s member nations.
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