ICC prosecutor Karim Khan removed from office over alleged serious misconduct

Saturday 25 - 18:15

By: Sahili Aya

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan removed from office over alleged serious misconduct

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has removed its chief prosecutor Karim Khan from office after member states voted to terminate his mandate over allegations of serious misconduct, a decision that marks an unprecedented moment for the court’s leadership.

The Assembly of States Parties, representing the ICC’s 125 member countries, approved the dismissal during a confidential emergency meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday. A total of 82 states voted in favour of ending Khan’s term, surpassing the required threshold of 63 votes.

According to the Assembly, the decision was based on findings related to “serious misconduct” and “serious breach of the duties of office.” Thirteen countries voted to keep Khan in his position, while 15 abstained, according to diplomatic sources.

Khan, a British lawyer who had served as ICC prosecutor since 2021, has denied allegations of sexual assault made by a former member of his team. His legal representatives immediately challenged the decision, arguing that the dismissal process was neither lawful nor fair.

One of Khan’s lawyers, Tayab Ali, said his client would contest the decision through all available legal channels while maintaining that Khan has consistently rejected the accusations.

The ICC, based in The Hague, said it had taken note of the Assembly’s decision and confirmed that Khan’s deputies would continue managing the Office of the Prosecutor, as they have done since he stepped aside more than a year ago.

Khan temporarily withdrew from his duties in May 2025 after an investigation was launched following allegations made by a colleague. He was later suspended in June by the Bureau of the Assembly, which subsequently called the special session that led to Friday’s vote.

The allegations were made by a staff member identified publicly as a Malaysian lawyer named Sarah. In an interview with CNN, she described what she called escalating pressure and argued that the power imbalance between an international prosecutor and an employee made genuine consent impossible.

The removal of Khan comes at a sensitive time for the ICC, which has been handling several major international cases and facing increased scrutiny over its independence, internal governance and accountability procedures.

The court will now operate under interim leadership while member states consider the next steps for appointing a new prosecutor to lead the institution responsible for investigating and prosecuting the world’s most serious international crimes.