Khan has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,\u201d his lawyers said in comments sent to Reuters on Tuesday. They cited a review by judges that found the evidence was insufficient to prove the allegations \u201cbeyond a reasonable doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the terms<\/a><\/p>\n The bureau set aside the advisory opinion by the three external judges and concluded that it did have enough evidence to make a decision, citing the report of a specialized yearlong UN investigation commissioned by the court.<\/p>\n \u201cThe evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the prosecutor\u2026 engaged in a sexual relationship with [the victim],\u201d a copy of the June 8 decision reviewed by Reuters said.<\/p>\n The relationship started in March 2023 and \u201cescalated over time\u2026 in the context of that power imbalance, a sexual relationship could never be appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n The 27-page document, shown to Reuters by two independent sources, said Khan committed a serious breach of duty and serious misconduct.<\/p>\n \t \u201cHis behavior escalated over time resulting in him engaging in non-consensual sexual contact with her in his office, at his private residence and whilst on mission,\u201d the document quoted the UN report as having found.<\/p>\n The bureau recommended \u201cremoval from office of the elected official, prosecutor Karim Khan,\u201d the document said.<\/p>\n At least 63 of the 125 member states of the world\u2019s criminal court of last resort are required to pass his dismissal.<\/p>\n A former defense attorney who took up the top job at the court five years ago, Khan has been suspended<\/a> by the ICC and by Britain\u2019s independent regulator<\/a> for court lawyers, which will consider his future in coming weeks.<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the\u00a0ICC\u00a0declined to comment. The bureau, a core group of 21 member states tasked with reviewing the case, did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n Khan\u2019s supporters have suggested that he has become a political target for seeking arrest warrants in 2024 \u200bfor Israeli officials over Israel\u2019s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n The court issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-defense minister Yoav Gallant in 2024. In the decision, judges wrote there was reason to believe the men had used \u201cstarvation as a method of warfare\u201d by restricting humanitarian aid and had intentionally targeted civilians in Israel\u2019s campaign against Hamas in Gaza \u2014 charges Israeli officials sharply deny.<\/p>\n US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration has since brought sanctions against Khan and a dozen other staff in relation to the Israeli warrants and investigations into American personnel in Afghanistan. The sanctions are hampering work on a broad array of investigations at the court.<\/p>\n The warrants will remain even if Khan is dismissed because they were confirmed by ICC judges.<\/p>\n Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.<\/p>\n
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