Lead

The International Criminal Court's (ICC) 125 member states convened on Friday to determine the fate of chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who was suspended last month over allegations of sexual assault against a member of his staff — accusations he firmly denies. The closed-door session, held at UN headquarters in New York, is expected to include a secret ballot, with an absolute majority needed to relieve Khan of his duties.

Coverage comparison

Reporting on the story has focused on the procedural vote and the first public account from the alleged victim, a Malaysian lawyer who worked as Khan's direct assistant. Dawn, a Pakistani English-language daily, emphasized the institutional process, noting that the suspension was ordered by the 21-member bureau of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) and that the bureau said the move was “not an indication of the final outcome.” The Jerusalem Post, meanwhile, focused on the victim's detailed allegations, describing the tone of her account and the contents of a leaked UN investigative report.

Key claims

  • Karim Khan was suspended over allegations of sexual assault against a member of his staff. Multiple sources report this.
  • Khan denies allegations of sexual misconduct, according to both Dawn and the Jerusalem Post.
  • The alleged victim, a Malaysian lawyer who identified herself by her first name, Sarah, spoke publicly for the first time in an interview with CNN. Both Dawn and the Jerusalem Post reported this.
  • ICC member states are voting on Khan's fate, as reported by Dawn.
  • Khan's attorneys called on ICC member states not to remove him from his position, according to Dawn, which cited an open letter posted on X.
  • An investigation found no conclusive proof of wrongdoing, Dawn reported.
  • A UN investigative report found evidence showing a “factual basis” for the accusations, the Jerusalem Post reported, citing CNN's account of the leaked document.
  • Sarah, the alleged victim, underwent security clearance investigations to work for the ICC, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

The Accuser

Sarah, who has worked for the ICC since 2017, told CNN that the alleged misconduct lasted for over a year after she started working as Khan's assistant in February 2023. She described “an escalation of attempts” that resulted in physical assault, including non-consensual sexual acts such as groping, kissing, and penetration. “There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity,” she told CNN. “What I think many people don’t understand is that Mr Khan was not just my boss, he was everyone’s boss.” She said she feared retaliation that could impact her career and her work visa.

The Accused

Karim Khan, a 56-year-old Briton who has served as ICC prosecutor since 2021, categorically denies the accusations. His attorneys, in an open letter published on X, called on ICC member states not to remove him from his position. Khan had stepped back from his duties in May 2025 to fight the allegations after an inquiry was launched the previous year. Dawn reported that an investigation found no conclusive proof of wrongdoing, while the Jerusalem Post noted that a UN investigative report found evidence showing a “factual basis” for the accusations.

The Court

Paivi Kaukoranta, head of the assembly overseeing the ICC, described the case as a “complex and sensitive disciplinary matter” during a short session open to the public. “I trust that I can count on your cooperation to ensure that the assembly can address the matter in a way that fully respects the privacy and rights of the persons involved, as well as the court as an institution,” she said.