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Khan Removed in Vote
The International Criminal Court’s governing body removed chief prosecutor Karim Khan from office on Friday after concluding in June that he had committed serious misconduct in connection with allegations of sexual abuse.
“The member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday by a majority to remove the Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan for 'professional misconduct' during a special session at the United Nations headquarters in New York”
The Assembly of States Parties voted to oust the British prosecutor in an unprecedented move, with 82 of the court’s 125 member states voting in favour at a special meeting at the UN’s headquarters in New York.
The decision followed a disciplinary process that examined abuse allegations made by a woman who worked for Khan at the ICC, and Khan repeatedly denied the claims, including allegations that he engaged in coercive and non-consensual sexual behaviour over an extended period.
Khan’s lawyers said the prosecutor would “challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms,” while the ICC’s warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu were described as unaffected by his removal.
The BBC reported that the oversight body found Khan had committed a “serious breach of duty and serious misconduct” by engaging in an improper sexual relationship with a junior ICC staff member and seeking to stop her pursuing her complaint.
Lawyers, Rights Groups, Israel
Khan’s legal team criticised the process as procedurally unfair and said he was blocked from addressing the session Friday, with attorney Tayab Ali arguing Khan’s removal was “determined by a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard.”
In a statement to The Associated Press, Liz Evenson of Human Rights Watch said, “The ICC should hold itself to the highest standards,” including ensuring “a safe workplace with effective and credible mechanisms” for staff who experience abuse.
The BBC said the secret ballot to oust Khan was held at a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday afternoon, and it reported that it was not immediately clear what legal avenues remained open to the ousted prosecutor.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon said the international community rejected Khan’s decision “to scapegoat Israel in an attempt to divert from his own misconduct,” framing the removal as a rejection of what he called a politically motivated arrest warrant.
DW reported that Khan’s lawyer Tayab Ali wrote on X that “Mr. Khan will challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision, though all available legal mechanisms,” while also noting that 82 voted for removal, 13 against, and 15 abstained.
Next Steps and Pressure
The ICC’s Assembly of States Parties will now need to hold elections for a new prosecutor after removing Khan, and the BBC said the entire process could reshape the world’s only permanent war-crimes tribunal.
“The International Criminal Court Relieves Its Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan of His Post Selman Aksünger, Yılmaz Öztürk July 24, 2026 • Updated: July 24, 2026 NETHERLANDS Netherlands / Anadolu - In light of allegations of “sexual misconduct,” Khan denied the charges against him - His lawyers say the steps to dismiss him are illegal and procedurally unfair and do not rest on sufficient evidence - The court has faced mounting American and Israeli pressure since issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant The Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court has relieved Prosecutor Karim Khan of his post, in connection with an investigation into allegations of “sexual harassment” against him”
The Guardian reported that the warrants issued by judges for Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu were unaffected by Khan’s removal, while the BBC said the decision to remove him was passed with 82 votes in favour.
The Associated Press tied the dismissal to broader pressure on the court, describing a campaign by the United States to “dismantle” the ICC and noting that the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on several ICC judges and prosecutors.
In a statement after the vote, the ICC said it would continue to attach “the utmost importance to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and respectful working environment for all personnel,” even as the BBC said the misconduct investigation intensified divisions inside the institution.
The UN News service said the Assembly president announced that the Assembly decided by a majority of 82 States Parties that Karim Kahn committed “serious conduct and a serious breach of duty…and to remove [him] from office,” calling for “the dignity and privacy of all those involved.”
