ICC prosecutor on leave amid sexual misconduct investigation
The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has stepped down temporarily amid an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
The ICC statement on Friday said Karim Khan “communicated his decision to take leave until the end” of an external investigation being carried out by the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the UN internal watchdog.
While the watchdog could not determine wrongdoing, it nonetheless urged Khan in a memo to minimize contact with the woman to protect the rights of all involved and safeguard the court’s integrity.
The ICC lawyer has categorically denied accusations that he has been involved for more than a year in coercing a female aide into a sexual relationship, besides groping.
"In light of escalating media reports, I have made the considered decision to take leave," he said in a letter seen by Reuters.
"My decision is driven by deep and unwavering commitment to the credibility of our Office and the Court, and to safeguard the integrity of the process and fairness to all involved," he added.
Khan’s decision to step aside was welcomed by women’s rights groups, who had called for him to step down after the allegations emerged last year.
“In any other professional setting, someone facing such serious allegations would have been expected to step down months ago,” said Eimear Shine, a spokesperson for the Hague-based Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice.
The announcement is made as the ICC has high-profile war crimes investigations underway into the Israeli war on Gaza.
Moreover, US President Donald Trump’s administration filed sanctions against Khan in February concerning the arrest warrant he issued for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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