ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan takes leave amid sexual misconduct probe linked to UN investigation
Hague: International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has taken a leave of absence pending the outcome of a United Nations investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of authority, the court confirmed on Friday.
Khan, a British barrister elected in 2021, recently made global headlines by seeking arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. His leave comes amid increasing internal pressure from senior ICC staff following the emergence of serious accusations.
The investigation, launched in November 2024 by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), is examining allegations that Khan engaged in unwanted sexual contact, coercive behaviour, and abused his position of authority toward a female subordinate. Additionally, the probe is exploring claims of possible witness intimidation and retaliation against prosecution staff. Khan was reportedly questioned by OIOS investigators over two days last week.
Despite initially resisting calls to step aside, Khan has now informed the court that he will take leave until the inquiry concludes. In his absence, the ICC's two deputy prosecutors—Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal—will assume interim leadership of the Office of the Prosecutor, which oversees around 450 personnel.
The developments come at a particularly sensitive moment for the ICC, which is currently navigating politically charged investigations, including those related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Observers have noted that the timing of the investigation into Khan has raised suspicions of political motivation, particularly following his actions against Israeli officials, though no conclusive evidence has surfaced to support such claims.
The United States, which has previously sanctioned ICC officials, is reportedly considering renewed measures in response to the court's recent actions regarding Israeli leaders. Earlier this year, former U.S. President Donald Trump imposed travel and financial restrictions on Khan.
Once the OIOS completes its investigation, the final report will be submitted to the president of the court’s governing body. If it concludes that Khan committed serious misconduct or violated his official duties, the ICC’s 125 member states will vote via secret ballot on whether he should be removed from office.
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11k litres of milk poured into Narmada river after religious event; environmentalists see red
Sehore (PTI): Around 11,000 litres of milk were poured into Narmada river, often called the lifeline of Madhya Pradesh, in Sehore district on the culmination of a 21-day religious event as part of a sanctification ritual, prompting environmentalists to flag its negative impact on the ecosystem.
The event concluded at Satdev village in Bherunda area, located about 90 km from the district headquarters, with a 'mahayagna' on Wednesday.
The milk was offered to the river as part of rituals and prayers for the purity of the waters, the well-being of pilgrims and prosperity, organisers said.
The milk was brought in tankers to the riverbank and later poured into the flowing water amid chanting of mantras in the presence of a crowd of devotees.
However, environmentalists raised concerns over the practice, warning of its potential ecological impact.
"Such large quantities of organic matter can deplete dissolved oxygen in water, adversely affecting the river ecosystem. These impact local communities dependent on the river for drinking water and threaten aquatic life as well as domestic animals," noted environmentalist and wildlife activist Ajay Dube said.
Religious offerings should be symbolic and mindful, he asserted.
Renowned environmentalist Subhash Pandey said 11,000 litres of milk acts as a significant organic pollutant.
"It is highly oxygen-demanding and can lead to oxygen depletion, aquatic mortality, eutrophication (process of plants growing on river surface) and loss of potability. These effects are predictable from dairy-effluent chemistry and have been documented in similar incidents worldwide," Pandey pointed out.
Narmada originates at Amarkantak in the state and traverses 1,312 km westward to Maharashtra and Gujarat, emptying into the Arabian Sea via the Gulf of Cambay.
It is the largest west-flowing river in the peninsula, passing through a rift valley, and acts as a crucial water source for irrigation in MP, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
