Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, who is facing allegations of sexual misconduct, has temporarily stepped aside as a United Nations investigation enters its final stage, the court announced Friday.
A senior official with knowledge of the matter, speaking anonymously because they weren't authorized to talk publicly about the case, also confirmed to NPR that Khan was on administrative leave while the U.N.'s Office of Internal Oversight Services, which is leading the investigation, completes its inquiry. The senior official said there had been pressure on Khan since last May last year, and top officials from the states parties that are part of the ICC have urged him to step down.
In an internal message sent to representatives of ICC states parties, Ambassador Päivi Kaukoranta of Finland wrote: "On 16 May 2025, the Prosecutor communicated to [the Registrar] via email his decision to take leave until the end of the OIOS process. According to the Prosecutor's message, the Deputy Prosecutors will be in charge of the management of the Office of the Prosecutor during the Prosecutor's absence."
In response to NPR's request for comment, ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah sent a statement confirming Khan's leave.
The International Federation for Human Rights welcomed Khan's decision to step aside, saying in a statement that it was "the only responsible decision" and calling his temporary departure "essential to protecting the integrity of the court."
Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported accusations against Khan by one of his former aides, a lawyer from Malaysia in her 30s. Citing testimony that the paper said she gave to U.N. officials, the Journal reported that she accused him of having forcible sexual intercourse with her during missions to New York, Colombia, Congo, Chad and Paris, and at a residence owned by his wife in The Hague, allegations Khan has denied.
NPR has not independently confirmed the allegations reported in the Wall Street Journal. NPR was unable to reach Khan's lawyers, but they have denied the accusations in the Wall Street Journal, which reported that "Khan, through his lawyers, said it was 'categorically untrue that he has engaged in sexual misconduct of any kind.'"
According to the paper, the lawyer from Malaysia testified to United Nations investigators that Khan initiated unwanted sexual contact over several months, ultimately coercing her into sex, and that she remained in her job because she didn't want to leave one of the world's leading human rights institutions. She also reported fearing that losing her salary would leave her unable to pay her mother's hospital bills for cancer treatment.
The court's announcement on Friday follows an internal review and comes amid mounting pressure from the United States. The Trump administration placed sanctions on the ICC in February for what it termed "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel."
Khan has been leading the case in which the ICC issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. An arrest warrant was also issued in November for a Hamas military commander, whose death was later confirmed by Hamas.
Netanyahu and Gallant have not appeared before the court. Israel denies allegations of war crimes related to its military attacks in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel. With Khan's temporary departure, the future of the case appears uncertain.
Copyright 2025 NPR
