THE HAGUE: The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has stepped aside temporarily as an investigation by the United Nations into alleged sexual misconduct by him nears its end, his office said on Friday (May 16).
The move is unprecedented and there is no clear procedure for replacing Khan. The situation creates added uncertainty for the ICC, which is already facing an existential crisis due to US sanctions over its arrest warrants for Israeli officials.
Khan’s office said the prosecutor had taken leave until the end of the investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services.
In a written statement, Khan’s attorneys rejected all allegations of wrongdoing. They said he said he had taken leave because media attention on the matter affected his ability to focus on his work but did not intend to resign.
“Our client remains the prosecutor, has not stepped down and has no intention of doing so,” law firm Carter-Ruck said.
In a letter sent to his staff and seen by Reuters, the prosecutor said that he had been keeping his position under constant review. “In light of escalating media reports, I have made the considered decision to take leave,” Khan said.
“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 said.
Khan had earlier ignored calls by NGOs and ICC staff to step down while the investigation was under way.
