THE chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has been cleared of all allegations of sexual misconduct after an internal investigation conducted by the United Nations.
A panel of three judges unanimously concluded that findings by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services did not substantiate any misconduct or breach of duty under the relevant framework, according to diplomatic sources cited by international media.
Under ICC rules, the absence of proven wrongdoing requires the investigation to be formally closed.
Reuters reported today that the inquiry was initiated in November 2024 at the direction of the Assembly of States Parties following allegations by a member of Khan’s office.
A second woman later alleged that Khan had abused his authority during her employment, describing his conduct as a sustained pattern of behaviour in comments to international media.
Khan denied all accusations and took voluntary leave in May pending the outcome of the investigation, with his deputies assuming responsibility for the prosecutor’s office in the interim.
The Assembly of States Parties convened earlier this week to review the report and has 30 days to make an initial assessment.
Khan will also be given 30 days to respond before any final determination is reached. He has declined to comment publicly on the findings.
The allegations had cast a shadow over the court at a time when the prosecutor’s office was handling several high-profile cases, including investigations into alleged war crimes in Gaza and Ukraine.
Khan has sought arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
In a separate case concerning the war in Ukraine, he has also applied for arrest warrants against Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials over the alleged unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children.
The judges’ decision marks a significant development after months of uncertainty at the ICC, with diplomatic sources indicating the investigation had left the institution in a state of limbo due to the unresolved status of its chief prosecutor and leaks surrounding the allegations.
Should the Assembly of States Parties formally endorse the findings, the case will be closed and Khan is expected to resume full leadership of the ICC prosecutor’s office. - March 22, 2026
