Karim Khan will take a leave until he denies the conclusion of an unleader’s investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies, the ICC said.
Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has been on leave until an unleader's allegation of sexual misconduct against him is investigated for his sake.
Khan's office said Friday that he had notified his colleagues that he would resign temporarily until the United Nations Internal Oversight Service (OIOS) ended the investigation. Since December, OIO has been conducting external investigations after complaints against ICC’s supervisory bodies.
The International Criminal Court said Khan would continue to take leave until the investigation is over, although his completion schedule remains unclear. During his absence, two deputy prosecutors of the court will assume his responsibility.
Khan's lawyer said he rejected all claims of wrongdoing and temporarily resigned due to strict media scrutiny, which made it difficult for him to perform his work effectively.
"Our client remains prosecutors and has not resigned yet and has no intention of doing so," British law firm Carter-Ruck said in a statement.
Khan's decision to abandon temporarily was a growing decision by human rights groups and some court officials who urged him to withdraw when conducting an investigation.
“Resignation helps protect the credibility of the court and the trust of victims, employees and the public. It is also a time of recognition and dignity for alleged victims and whistleblowers,” said Danya Chaikel of the Human Rights Monitoring Daily.
The court has not confirmed when the OIOS investigation will come to a conclusion, but the case is underway during a global review of the role and credibility of the ICC.
The decision was brought during a high-profile investigation by the court, including Russian attacks on Ukraine and Israeli wars against Gaza.
Khan demanded a warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged illegal deportation of Ukrainian children, as well as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant alleged war crimes in Gaza.
U.S. voice critics on recent court actions have imposed sanctions on Khan's pursuit of Israeli officials. Since then, ICC leadership has warned that such political attacks could endanger the agency’s survival.