The Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) at a special session to vote later on whether to remove ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan from office.Image: keystone
In the affair surrounding allegations of abuse, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has been fired. The majority of the States Parties to the World Criminal Court voted in New York for his removal from office, according to a press release from the Assembly.
July 24, 2026, 8:54 p.mJuly 25, 2026, 07:04
The contracting states, 82 of which voted for his dismissal, attested that Karim Khan had committed “serious misconduct and a serious breach of his official duties”. The affair, which has been simmering for two years, has placed a heavy burden on the court based in The Hague and damaged its international reputation.
Karim Khan was suspended in June.Image: keystone
To date, 125 countries have been contracting states. At least 63 votes were needed for Khan to be voted out.
Khan had been accused of sexual assault by a former employee. The British lawyer firmly rejects all allegations. The allegations had already become known in 2024. In June of this year, Khan was suspended on suspicion. The woman recently repeated the allegations in an interview with CNN. The lawyer, who was introduced only by her first name Sarah, also dismissed suspicions that she was paid by Israel for her testimony.
Khan had been chief prosecutor since 2021 and had, among other things, requested an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged crimes in the Gaza war. The Israeli UN delegation immediately commented on Khan’s dismissal: “Khan believed that if he launched a political witch hunt against Israel and issued a politically motivated arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu, the world would ignore the serious allegations of sexual misconduct against him. He was wrong.” Khan had in the past expressed his suspicion that Israel was behind the allegations in order to cast doubt on his investigation.
According to the court, the deputy chief prosecutors will continue to lead and lead the prosecutor’s office. Khan’s departure is unlikely to have any impact on the arrest warrant against the Israeli prime minister. The search for a successor to Khan will begin immediately. However, an appointment is not expected until next year.
Doubts about UN investigation
A UN commission investigated the allegations against Khan and submitted its report to the court at the end of 2025. According to media reports, the commission considered it proven that Khan had “non-consensual sexual contact” with a female employee “in his office, in his private apartment and during a business trip.”
But a report from three judges found deficiencies in the UN investigation. For example, she did not adequately investigate the credibility of the witnesses. The lawyers therefore did not consider Khan’s guilt to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. According to Khan’s lawyers, the panel concluded that “no misconduct or dereliction of duty” had been proven.
But the representatives of 21 states in the Presidium of the Conference of the Parties decided differently. According to media reports, two thirds saw Khan’s attacks as proven. The suspension followed.
Great pressure, especially from the USA
The process is grist to the mill of the court’s critics, especially the USA. They accuse the court of partiality and incitement against Israel. The US government imposed sanctions on judges and staff. They can no longer use their email addresses and credit cards, can no longer travel to the United States, and any bank balances in the United States are blocked. Like Israel, the USA is not a member of the court. In July, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that he wanted to “dismantle the court step by step”.
The affair has also damaged the court’s international reputation. The chief prosecutor is considered the moral calling card of the World Criminal Court, which holds those politically and militarily responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide to account.
At the same time as the special session to dismiss Khan, Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the World Criminal Court. The government of the South American country justified its move by saying that the court disadvantaged the countries of the Global South.
International law is currently under pressure worldwide. Wars and conflicts such as those in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip or Sudan repeatedly raise questions about how international law should be enforced today. At the same time, international courts and institutions are increasingly becoming involved in political disputes. (sda/dpa)