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Khan removed Friday
The International Criminal Court removed its chief prosecutor Karim Khan from office on Friday, after a vote by the court’s oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties, which said he faced “serious misconduct and serious breach of duty.”
“By a large majority, the ICC’s 125-member states voted to remove Khan”
The Associated Press reported that by a large majority, the ICC’s 125-member states voted to remove Khan, a British barrister, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations against him first emerged.
AP said Khan was accused of sexual misconduct with a female aide, allegations he has steadfastly denied, and that documents seen by AP described him as engaging in a sexual relationship and trying to prevent her from pursuing her allegations.
The BBC reported that the decision to remove him was passed with 82 votes in favour, and that the oversight body found in June he 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.
Reactions and legal fight
Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to The Associated Press that “The ICC should hold itself to the highest standards,” including ensuring “a safe workplace with effective and credible mechanisms.”
Khan’s lawyers criticized the process leading to his ouster, with attorney Tayab Ali saying Khan’s “removal was determined by a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard.”
The BBC reported that Khan’s lawyer said he would challenge “the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms,” and that it was not immediately clear what legal avenues remained open to the ousted prosecutor.
The BBC also said the ICC took note of the decision of the Special Session of the Assembly of States Parties, adding that “The Court will continue to attach the utmost importance to maintaining a safe, inclusive, and respectful working environment for all personnel,” while the process “could reshape the world’s only permanent war‑crimes tribunal.”
Broader pressure on ICC
The removal unfolded as the ICC faced a campaign by the United States to “dismantle” the ICC, which AP said was launched by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said he would pressure member states to withdraw and sanction organizations that work with the court.
“a campaign by the United States to “dismantle” the ICC”
AP reported that Rubio said he will pressure member states to withdraw from the institution, sanction organizations that work with the court and ban staff from traveling to the United States, and that Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the court after Friday’s vote.
The BBC said the misconduct investigation played out alongside an “unprecedented campaign to weaken, and in fact dismantle, the ICC in its entirety,” and noted that Khan was unable to attend the vote held in the United Nations headquarters in New York because he is barred from entering the United States under sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.
Dabanga Radio TV Online added that the removal “will not affect the ICC’s ongoing investigations or existing arrest warrants,” and that deputy prosecutors assumed responsibility for the Office of the Prosecutor during Khan’s suspension while a successor is appointed.
