The International Criminal Court (ICC) announced on Monday that it will initiate an external investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against its top prosecutor, Karim Khan.

Päivi Kaukoranta, the president of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), ICC’s oversight body, confirmed the initiation of an external investigation following consultations with the ASP Bureau. The investigation will be conducted independently by the Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM), which operates separately from the ICC and reports directly to the ASP.

The IOM has agreed to an external investigation considering the specific circumstances of the case, hoping to ensure an unbiased and fair process in accordance with the legal framework of the ICC. Kaukoranta urged all parties involved to fully cooperate with the investigation while emphasizing the importance of respecting the privacy and rights of all individuals concerned.

In response to the allegations, Khan acknowledged the new investigation and assigned the internal responsibility of the matter to his deputy prosecutors. He affirmed his commitment to continuing his duties as Prosecutor across various situations addressed by the ICC.

Reporting by AP revealed allegations of nonconsensual behavior by Khan, including incidents during foreign trips and at the ICC headquarters. The whistleblowers shared details with the court’s watchdog, accusing Khan of inappropriate conduct, which led to an internal inquiry that was swiftly closed without questioning Khan.

According to reporting by The Guardian, Khan denied influencing the woman to withdraw any claims and rejected the accusations. His legal team expressed concerns regarding the disclosure of confidential information and the potential impact on Khan’s ongoing work.

In May 2024, Khan submitted applications for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas leaders for alleged crimes against humanity during the Israel-Hamas War. Pressure from US senators prompted the ICC not to issue warrants concerning the Israel-Hamas war until the allegations of misconduct were thoroughly investigated.