ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan Removed Over Sexual Misconduct Allegations

International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has been removed from his post following a vote by ICC member states on Friday, July 24, 2026, over allegations of sexual misconduct. A majority of 82 out of 125 member states voted in favor of his dismissal during a special session at the United Nations headquarters in New York. This unprecedented removal comes nearly two years after the allegations first surfaced, making Khan the first ICC chief prosecutor to be ousted from office.

The allegations against Khan involved a female aide and a second accuser who was an intern, with claims including coercive and non-consensual sexual behavior over an extended period. Khan has consistently denied all allegations, and his legal team has criticized the disciplinary process as procedurally unfair, arguing he was not given a proper opportunity to be heard. He was temporarily suspended from his duties in June 2026 after the court's oversight body concluded he had committed serious misconduct.

Khan, who was elected in 2021 for a nine-year term, saw his tenure marked by high-profile actions, including seeking arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His lawyers and some diplomatic sources have suggested the case might be politicized, potentially linked to these controversial decisions. The removal decision takes immediate effect, triggering the process for electing a new prosecutor.