The International Criminal Court's member states have voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female aide. Khan, a British barrister, has denied the accusations, which emerged in a report by the court's oversight body that found he engaged in "serious misconduct." He was temporarily suspended in June and has now been formally dismissed. The vote took place Friday, with 82 of the ICC's 125 member states supporting removal, 13 opposing, and 15 abstaining. All active arrest warrants, including those Khan pursued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and senior Hamas figures, remain valid as only ICC judges can revoke them. Kenneth Roth, former head of Human Rights Watch, endorsed the decision, calling it the "right thing" in a post on X.
The dismissal of Karim Khan on misconduct grounds creates a leadership vacuum at a moment when the ICC is enforcing high-profile war crimes charges. The court must now appoint a new prosecutor without delaying ongoing cases that depend on sustained institutional credibility.
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