An internal investigation at the International Criminal Court has found that its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, sexually harassed a female employee in his office. The confidential report now goes to the court's member states to decide what should happen next, according to The New York Times, reported July 8, 2026.

Khan was already suspended in June after the court's leadership announced the investigation findings would go before a wider vote. The suspension was announced in a June 8, 2026 ICC press release and confirmed by Reuters and the New York Times.

The complaint first surfaced in May 2024, when Khan stepped away from the court. A female employee had made the accusation, as Justice Info reported at the time. For over a year, the ICC kept the details confidential to protect the person who complained. Khan denied the allegations.

Now the investigation has moved to a new stage. Instead of just having an unresolved complaint, there is now a formal finding against him. This matters because it means removal from his position is possible. The ICC has rules for removing top officials for serious wrongdoing, and this finding opens that door. The decision, though, doesn't rest with the investigation team — it goes to the member states to vote on whether he should actually be removed.

Why has this taken so long? Because the prosecutor's job is special at the ICC. Other court staff go through a regular disciplinary process. But prosecutors are elected by member states and have independence to investigate freely without interference. So when a prosecutor faces serious misconduct charges, only the member states can remove him — requiring approval from a large majority. That takes time, and this case shows it: nearly two years from the first complaint to this week's finding.

Khan became especially visible because of high-profile cases. He pursued charges tied to the war in Gaza and investigated the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These investigations drew heavy political pressure. If he's removed, questions will arise about what happens to those cases and any pending charges. The court could face disruption beyond just replacing its prosecutor.

What remains unclear is what the member states will actually do. The investigation's full report is kept private to protect the person who made the complaint. The states will have to make their decision based on summaries, not the complete document. They haven't yet scheduled a vote on whether Khan should be fired.

For now, Khan stays suspended — not yet removed, but not fully working either. The ball is in the member states' court.