ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan removed over sexual misconduct allegations

International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has been removed from office after member states voted to dismiss him over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The decision marks the first time in the ICC’s 24-year history that its top prosecutor has been ousted.

Mr Khan, 56, has denied allegations that he sexually harassed a female aide.

His lawyers also challenged the process that led to the vote at a meeting of ICC member states at the United Nations in New York.

According to Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, 82 member states voted in favour of removing Mr Khan.

Thirteen states opposed the decision, while 15 abstained.

Mr Roth said the court needed “a credible prosecutor to fight back” against growing pressure, including sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.

He argued that Mr Khan’s position had become untenable.

Mr Khan was appointed ICC prosecutor in 2021 with the backing of the United Kingdom.

During his tenure, he led several high-profile investigations.

After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he secured an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In 2024, he also sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif over alleged war crimes linked to the Gaza conflict.

The allegations against Mr Khan first emerged in 2024.

His former aide told CNN that his conduct escalated after she became his assistant in 2023.

She alleged that he touched and groped her, invited her to take a “nap” with him and entered her hotel room late at night.

A United Nations investigation reportedly found a “factual basis” for her claims.

A separate internal ICC inquiry found insufficient evidence “beyond reasonable doubt” of “non-consensual sexual conduct.”

However, it reportedly concluded that Mr Khan did not clearly deny a sexual relationship until he believed the complainant lacked evidence to support such claims.

Mr Khan’s lawyers have consistently rejected the allegations.

They said he had not had “any sexual relationship of any kind” with the woman.

The vote has divided observers.

Some questioned whether the dismissal was influenced by political considerations rather than a strict finding of misconduct.

Others argued that removing Mr Khan was necessary to protect the credibility of the court.

Rebecca Hamilton, a law professor at American University, said keeping Mr Khan in office “would have been a much worse option.”

She said the ICC must now focus on institutional reform and its continuing investigations in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan.

Mark Kersten, an expert in international criminal justice at the University of the Fraser Valley, said the removal of the prosecutor would not affect existing arrest warrants.

“Putin and Netanyahu were wanted for war crimes yesterday and remain so today – and tomorrow,” he said.

Hours after the vote, Venezuela announced that it would withdraw from the ICC.

It accused the court of geographic bias.

The ICC has been investigating alleged crimes involving members of Venezuela’s armed forces and other officials.