Britain’s legal regulatory authority confirmed Tuesday that it has rejected an appeal by International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan to lift his temporary practice ban, The Associated Press reported.
The decision prohibits the 56-year-old barrister from practicing law in his home country while formal disciplinary inquiries remain ongoing.
The ruling by the Bar Standards Board follows an emergency interim suspension initially enacted in June after a formal grievance was submitted against him. The regulatory agency characterized the maneuver as one reserved strictly for “in very serious and urgent cases". Following a panel review last week, the board elected to keep the prohibition active throughout the proceedings.
Khan’s legal representatives did not immediately issue a statement Tuesday regarding the ruling.
Khan’s future at the court will be decided during a special session of the Assembly of States Parties scheduled for July 24 at United Nations headquarters in New York. Shortly before the British legal regulator's initial action, the executive committee of the court's governing body determined that Khan had engaged in serious misconduct and formally recommended his dismissal.
The actions against Khan come at a precarious moment for the Hague-based institution, which is currently undergoing intensified pushback from the administration of US President Donald Trump.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Washington was initiating a “sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to US sovereignty".
Rubio indicated the administration intends to urge the tribunal’s 125 member states to sever ties with the entity, impose financial penalties on partnering entities, and enact travel bans against court personnel. Additionally, Washington plans to pressure nations that “enjoy the benefits of the US security umbrella" to reject the court's jurisdiction over American citizens.
The Trump administration previously levied sanctions against Khan alongside 12 other tribunal officials in response to arrest warrants issued for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the conflict in Gaza, as well as inquiries into US military conduct in Afghanistan.
European Union leadership forcefully denounced Washington's intended actions. European Commission spokesperson Siobhan McGarry told journalists on Tuesday, according to AP, “We are already facilitating all appropriate measures, including diplomatic, legal and financial avenues, that could help ensure the continuity of the ICC’s operations".