ICC member states remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan after misconduct finding

MEMBER states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague have voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan after an oversight investigation found he had committed serious misconduct, making him the first chief prosecutor in the court's history to be dismissed from office.

Diplomatic sources said representatives of the ICC's 125 member states voted by a large majority on Friday to remove the British barrister, nearly two years after allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female aide first emerged.

Khan, 56, has consistently denied the allegations.

He was suspended from his duties in June pending the outcome of the vote after the executive committee of the court's oversight body concluded that he had committed "serious misconduct".

According to documents seen by The Associated Press, the oversight committee found that Khan had engaged in a sexual relationship with the woman and subsequently attempted to prevent her from pursuing her allegations. Khan had also disputed those findings.

The vote was conducted by secret ballot during a closed-door meeting.

Earlier in the session, a motion tabled by Sierra Leone that would have made it more difficult to remove Khan failed, allowing member states to proceed with the dismissal vote several hours ahead of schedule, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the proceedings.

The Netherlands, which hosts the ICC, publicly confirmed it had voted in favour of Khan's removal, alongside France and Norway.

"We believe it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that his conduct constituted sexual harassment and abuse of power," Norway's Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik said.

Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen had earlier indicated there was sufficient support among member states to remove Khan, saying the position of most contracting parties appeared to align with the recommendation of the Assembly of States Parties' Bureau.

Päivi Kaukoranta, president of the Assembly of States Parties, said the proceedings would be held in private to address "a complex and sensitive disciplinary matter" as part of the assembly's governance and oversight responsibilities.

Khan did not attend the meeting, as he is barred from entering the United States after being sanctioned by the Trump administration over the ICC's investigation into Israeli officials for the military's conduct during the conflict in Gaza.

In 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged crimes against humanity, prompting strong criticism from Israel and the United States.

The removal comes at a challenging time for the ICC, which is also facing sustained political pressure from Washington as it continues investigations into alleged international crimes. - July 24, 2026