Africa, ICC and Karim Khan

The current situation is that Youssouf Tom is Chad's Minister of Justice, whereas his predecessor, whom I mentioned earlier, was part of a different government coalition. There is, in fact, a specific incident in which he sharply criticized the judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The trigger was the court's decision to reject his appeal against the acquittal of former President Hissène Habré. Tom accused the judges of "insulting Chadian justice" and called it a "judicial scandal." Habré had been sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity. The defense argued that the judges had been biased due to alleged influence. Tom described the rejection of this appeal as a "grave blow to international criminal law." This case illustrates the strained relationship between African governments and the ICC, which is often accused of "selective justice." The criticism from Chadian officials is part of a much broader and more serious crisis currently engulfing former ICC prosecutor Karim Khan. In a historic move, Khan was suspended from his post as chief prosecutor in June 2026 following an investigation that found him guilty of “serious misconduct” and “non-consensual sexual contact.” He was referred for further disciplinary proceedings. This news was met with sharp criticism from Ahmat Mahamat Hassan, the former Chadian justice minister and current political advisor. He declared that “one cannot be a prosecutor with such immoral behavior” and argued that it was unacceptable for Khan to have made rulings on international crimes committed by foreign leaders. Hassan also used the occasion to call for broader reforms of the ICC, demanding that the court be “equal for all.” “With such immoral behavior, one cannot be a prosecutor”: Chad’s former Minister of Justice on the suspension of the ICC prosecutor for sexual harassment. It is particularly unacceptable that such a person should be making decisions on “international crimes” committed by the leaders of countries, emphasized Ahmat Mahamat Hassan. Furthermore, the International Criminal Court must be reformed “so that it is equal for everyone,” the spokesman stressed. In 2023, prosecutor Karim Khan asked the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Maria Lvova-Belova. In 2024, several women accused Karim Khan of sexual harassment. He has been on unpaid leave since 2025, according to media reports.