ICC Chief Prosecutor Removed Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday removed its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations against him first surfaced.

Khan, a British barrister, was dismissed after a large majority of the ICC's 125 member states voted to remove him for "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty," the court's oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), said in a statement.

The 56-year-old prosecutor has been accused of sexually harassing a female aide. Khan has consistently denied the allegations. According to documents cited by the Associated Press, he allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with the staff member and attempted to discourage her from pursuing her complaints.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision, saying the ICC must uphold the highest standards of accountability and ensure a safe workplace with effective mechanisms to address abuse, sexual violence and harassment.

Khan's legal team criticised the removal process, arguing he was denied a fair opportunity to defend himself. His lawyer, Tayab Ali, said the decision ignored the findings of independent judges who had reviewed the evidence and vowed to challenge the dismissal through all available legal avenues.

The ICC will now begin the process of electing a new chief prosecutor, who is likely to inherit significant political challenges, including sanctions imposed by the United States.

The court is facing growing pressure from Washington. Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a broad campaign aimed at weakening the ICC, including urging member states to withdraw, imposing sanctions on organisations cooperating with the court and restricting travel for ICC staff. The Trump administration has already sanctioned Khan and 12 other ICC officials over investigations involving US personnel and arrest warrants issued for senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over the war in Gaza.

Hours after Khan's removal, Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the ICC, accusing the court of disproportionately targeting African and Latin American countries while neglecting other regions.

Experts say the allegations against Khan became intertwined with the ICC's politically sensitive investigations into the Gaza conflict. However, his removal will have no immediate impact on the arrest warrants issued in 2024 against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as those can only be revoked by ICC judges.

Closing the session, ASP President Päivi Kaukoranta urged respect for the dignity and privacy of everyone involved and thanked member states for handling the matter with unity while safeguarding the court's integrity.