ICC removes chief prosecutor Karim Khan over misconduct

The International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was removed from office on July 24, 2026, after member states voted overwhelmingly to dismiss him over findings of serious misconduct and breach of duty. The vote by the court's Assembly of States Parties followed a lengthy inquiry into allegations that Khan sexually assaulted a female member of his staff.

The secret ballot, held at United Nations headquarters in New York, saw 82 of the court's 125 member states vote in favor of Khan's removal. According to reports, 13 states voted against dismissal, 15 abstained, and several others did not participate. The ICC stated that the now-former prosecutor had committed "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty," though it did not provide further details, citing the privacy of those involved.

The allegations against Khan, 56, first emerged in early 2024. The complainant, a Malaysian lawyer who worked as Khan's direct assistant and asked to be identified only by her first name, Sarah, recently described an escalation of unwanted advances that she said culminated in a physical assault. "There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power...