British watchdog upholds Karim Khan suspension, bars him from practicing law as U.S. threatens to “dismantle” ICC

Britain’s legal watchdog said Tuesday that it has upheld the suspension of International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan and imposed a bar on him practicing law in his home country, according to The Washington Times. The decision follows allegations of sexual misconduct that prompted disciplinary action against Khan, the ICC’s most senior prosecutor.

The regulator’s announcement came as Khan remains the face of a court that has repeatedly faced criticism and political pressure from multiple governments, including the United States. The Washington Times report said the U.S. has threatened to “dismantle” the International Criminal Court, framing the escalation as part of a broader response to what Washington calls recurring problems at the institution.

In its Tuesday statement, the British watchdog upheld the suspension of Khan, the report said, and moved to bar him from practicing law domestically. The action underscores that the controversy surrounding Khan is not only tied to his role at an international institution but has also triggered consequences in a national legal system with its own disciplinary standards.

The Washington Times report did not detail the underlying misconduct allegations in the packet provided, but it said the suspension was tied to claims of sexual misconduct. It also characterized Khan’s suspension as having been tested through Britain’s disciplinary process, with Tuesday’s ruling described as the regulator confirming the earlier suspension rather than reversing it.

The ICC, based in The Hague, has long insisted it operates under judicial and procedural safeguards, but it has been the subject of persistent dispute, particularly from critics who argue the court targets certain countries while failing to constrain others. Khan’s leadership has been at the center of those debates, and the U.S. threat cited Tuesday reflects the pressure that has intensified in recent months.

For Khan personally, the immediate effect reported Tuesday is a professional restriction in Britain: the watchdog said it has upheld the suspension and banned him from practicing law in his home country. For the ICC, the ruling adds to a growing list of governance and credibility concerns that governments have used to justify stepping back from the court.

The next steps, according to the reporting, are tied to how Khan and the parties involved proceed within the disciplinary and legal avenues available after a regulator’s decision, and whether the U.S. threat translates into concrete statutory or diplomatic measures aimed at limiting the ICC’s functioning.