London – The independent regulatory authority for lawyers in Britain has suspended Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The Bar Standards Board announced that the suspension, effective immediately, will be reviewed by a panel at a hearing within four weeks.
According to a summary seen by Reuters, an 18-month secret investigation found credible grounds for an allegation by a female assistant. She accused Khan of a non-consensual sexual relationship with a younger employee. Khan, 56, has denied the accusation and maintains he has done nothing wrong. He said he will take all necessary steps to appeal the suspension.
After the allegations surfaced in 2024, the United Nations commissioned an external investigation. In May 2025, Khan took voluntary leave and his deputies assumed his duties. His supporters claim he has been targeted politically for seeking arrest warrants against Israeli officials over Israel’s actions in the Gaza war.
Khan’s membership was already suspended on June 8 by the ICC’s administrative body, deepening the ongoing crisis at the war crimes court. The ICC is also facing U.S. sanctions over investigations into American and Israeli activities. The 125 member states of the ICC are expected to vote on Khan’s future in a special session of the court’s administrative body on July 24, 2026.