ICC Members Vote to Remove Prosecutor Karim Khan Over Sex Misconduct
6 verified5 unconfirmed
Members of the International Criminal Court voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct. The vote was held at a special session of the Assembly of States Parties, the court’s oversight body. Khan, a British barrister who became prosecutor in 2021, had been suspended from his duties earlier this year after an investigation found he had committed “serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty.” He has repeatedly denied all accusations against him. His lawyer stated that Khan would challenge the decision through all available legal mechanisms. The dismissal comes amid broader political pressure on the ICC, including U.S. sanctions and a stated campaign to weaken the institution.
What’s verified
ICC members voted to remove Karim Khan as chief prosecutor.
The vote was 82 in favor out of the 125 member states.
Khan was found to have committed “serious misconduct and serious breach of duty” by engaging in an improper sexual relationship with a junior ICC staff member and trying to stop her complaint.
Khan has denied all allegations.
His lawyer said he would challenge the decision through all available legal mechanisms.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Khan and launched a campaign to “dismantle” the ICC.
Not yet confirmed
The precise legal avenues Khan may pursue are not specified by the sources.
The sources differ on the exact timing of Khan’s suspension: one states he was “suspended last month” from the vote date, while the other says he was “temporarily removed in June.” Both refer to the same suspension but the date relative to the vote is unclear.
One source reports that a second investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services ran from November 2024 to December 2025, generating over 5,000 pages of evidence; this detail appears in only one source.
Only one source reports that Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the ICC on the same day as Khan’s removal.
Only one source reports that Khan is barred from entering the United States under Trump administration sanctions.
Key figures
Karim Khan – former ICC chief prosecutor
Tayab Ali – lawyer for Karim Khan
Paivi Kaukoranta – President of the Assembly of States Parties
Danny Danon – Israel’s Ambassador to the UN
Kenneth Roth – former executive director of Human Rights Watch
Marco Rubio – U.S. Secretary of State
Delcy Rodriguez – interim leader of Venezuela (per one source)
Felix Plasencia – Venezuelan Foreign Minister
