According to diplomatic circles in New York, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has been fired in the affair surrounding allegations of abuse.
July 24, 2026, 8:54 p.mJuly 24, 2026, 8:54 p.m
The majority of the contracting states to the International Criminal Court voted for the removal from office. The outcome of the vote should be officially announced after 11:30 p.m. (CEST). 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
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.
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. Khan’s departure should have no impact on this arrest warrant.
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 an employee.
But a report from three judges found deficiencies in the UN investigation. For example, she did not adequately investigate the credibility of the witnesses. 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. The suspension followed. (sda/dpa)