International Criminal Court Announces External Investigation into Chief Prosecutor

Facts

• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is beginning an external investigation into its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, amid allegations of sexual misconduct.^[1]
• In a statement released Monday, the ICC's President of the Assembly of States Parties claimed that, despite confidence in the Court's own Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), a 'fully independent, impartial, and fair process' from an external adjudicator would be conducted.^[2]
• While the ICC's statement didn't discuss the details of the allegations, a Reuters exclusive — citing two anonymous sources — claims they concern sexual misconduct. Internal documents allegedly show Khan, who has denied the accusations, being asked to temporarily step down during the process.^[3][2]
• Two individuals reported the accusations concerning a woman in May. It has not been confirmed who will be conducting the external investigation, which was approved this week by the court's oversight body.^[4][5]
• Khan has confirmed that he intends to continue as ICC prosecutor during the investigation, and has claimed to 'welcome the opportunity to engage in [the] process.' The ICC had confirmed last month it was looking into allegations against Khan.^[6]
• Khan was elected chief prosecutor in 2021, after 25 years of legal experience. In May, Khan filed arrest warrants against former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, among others, in connection to alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.^[7][8]

Sources: ^[1]BBC News, ^[2]Icc-Cpi (a), ^[3]Reuters, ^[4]Associated Press, ^[5]Timesofisrael, ^[6]Al Jazeera, ^[7]Icc-Cpi (b) and ^[8]Verity.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Wsj and Opinion.org. Being the face of the ICC and its ideals of international justice, the allegations against Khan are not only a stain against him as an individual, but undermine the integrity of the court. In order to restore trust in this institution, which has been tasked with protecting the sanctity of the rule of law, a full and transparent external investigation against Khan is the right course of action.
• Narrative B, as provided by Middleeastmonitor and X. The accusations against Khan are likely part of a smear campaign against a lawyer controversial only for his intent to hold international leaders accountable for their actions. Any investigation should not only include the allegations made against the prosecutor, but also the origins of the suspicious claims made in the first place.

Predictions