UK regulator suspends ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan

Britain’s legal regulator has temporarily suspended Karim Khan from practicing law as the International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor faces disciplinary proceedings over allegations of misconduct.

The Bar Standards Board (BSB), responsible for regulating barristers in England and Wales, announced on Friday that Karim Khan would remain suspended pending a disciplinary hearing expected within the next four weeks. The move follows findings by the ICC’s oversight body that he engaged in “serious misconduct” and committed a “significant breach of professional duty”.

Karim Khan, 56, was formally relieved of his duties at the ICC last week following recommendations by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the executive committee of the court’s governing body. Member states are scheduled to vote next month on whether to permanently remove him from office.

The British lawyer has strongly denied all allegations against him. His legal team said the BSB’s decision was based on the findings of the ICC oversight body and stressed that Karim Khan “unequivocally denies all allegations of impropriety.” They added that they would challenge the conclusions reached by the Bureau.

The case stems from allegations that Karim engaged in an inappropriate relationship and sexual misconduct involving a female staff member. The controversy has overshadowed the Hague-based court for more than two years.

According to earlier reports, he allegedly transferred the woman from another department into his office. In 2025, he temporarily stepped aside from his responsibilities while a United Nations investigation examined the claims.

A report by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services released in April found evidence suggesting Karim Khan had engaged in non-consensual sexual contact with the aide in several locations, including his office, private residence and during an official mission. However, a separate three-judge panel tasked with reviewing the findings concluded that the evidence was not sufficiently conclusive.

The final decision regarding his future now rests with the 125-member Assembly of States Parties, which oversees the ICC. A special session has been scheduled for 24 July in New York to vote on his removal. According to officials involved in the process, at least 63 member states would need to support the motion for it to pass.

The embattled prosecutor is also facing pressure from the United States. The administration of US President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on Karim Khan and several other ICC officials over the court’s investigations involving Israel and American personnel.
The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s former defence minister, alleging there were grounds to believe they had used starvation as a method of warfare and intentionally targeted civilians during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israeli authorities have rejected the accusations.

Diplomatic sources told AP that some countries believe the allegations against Karim Khan may be linked to efforts to undermine the court’s investigations into Israel. However, no evidence has been publicly presented to support that claim.

For the past year, two deputy prosecutors have been carrying out Karim Khan’s responsibilities, and it remains unclear who would succeed him if member states vote to remove him permanently.