Overview

• Karim Khan, Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, has temporarily relinquished his duties following allegations of sexual misconduct, pending a UN OIOS investigation.
• The allegations include claims of harassment and coercion of a staff member, which Khan denies, calling them attempts to undermine the court's credibility.
• U.S. sanctions imposed by President Trump in response to ICC arrest warrants for Israeli leaders have severely disrupted the court's operations, including the blocking of Khan's email by Microsoft.
• The ICC's reliance on foreign IT providers has raised concerns, with German advocates and the Open Source Business Alliance urging a shift toward national digital sovereignty to ensure judicial independence.
• The ICC's internal inquiry into Khan's conduct was initially closed, but mounting pressure led to the appointment of the UN's OIOS for an independent investigation.