Member states of the International Criminal Court voted to advance disciplinary proceedings against Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, following conflicting reports on sexual assault allegations that have plunged the tribunal into a leadership crisis. In a private meeting on Wednesday, a core group of 21 member states voted 15-4, with two abstentions, to continue the process, two officials familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"It is therefore difficult to understand how such a conclusion could be set aside in a matter of hours through what appears to be a political process, disregarding the considered findings of the judicial panel,” Khan's lawyers said in a statement. Khan, who has been on a leave of absence since May 2025, rejects any allegations of wrongdoing.
The vote was prompted by two contradictory assessments. A report by United Nations investigators concluded there was a "factual basis" for allegations of non-consensual sexual contact made by a female aide, with witness accounts lending support to her claims. However, a subsequent review by a panel of three ICC judges found the evidence insufficient to establish misconduct "beyond a reasonable doubt," a standard common in criminal law but which some parties argue is inappropriate for a disciplinary hearing.
The division among member states highlights the deep uncertainty surrounding the court's most prominent official. A group of African states argued the judges' report exonerated Khan and that proceedings should cease. But other nations, including major financial backers of the court, pushed to move forward. Officials from the prosecutor's own office also drafted a letter opposing Khan's continued service, arguing the UN findings are "incompatible with continued confidence in the prosecutor's leadership."
Credibility Crisis
The internal turmoil comes at a moment of intense external pressure on the 125-member court. The ICC, the world's only permanent war crimes tribunal, is facing US sanctions over its investigation into alleged war crimes by Israeli officials in Gaza. Khan has previously claimed the allegations against him were part of an effort to undermine the court and its investigation of Israel.
The case now moves to a plenary session where all member states could consider Khan's removal, a step requiring a majority vote. Khan will first have 30 days to formally respond to the reports. The last time a similar, though not identical, leadership challenge occurred was the 2020 removal of a judge for misconduct, a process that took several months to conclude.
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