Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The decision comes days after Khan’s accuser publicly detailed her allegations in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Khan has consistently denied the accusations. The vote also comes as the ICC faces renewed criticism from the United States, which has long opposed the court, arguing that it threatens US sovereignty.
Assembly of States Parties President Päivi Kaukoranta announced that 82 of the ICC’s 125 member states voted in favour of Khan’s dismissal, concluding that he had committed “serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty.”
Khan’s lawyer, Tayab Ali, said the prosecutor would challenge the decision, arguing that it lacked any lawful or properly reasoned basis.
“He has denied the allegations from the outset and continues to do so,” Ali said.
Ali also claimed Khan was denied a fair opportunity to defend himself and maintained that an investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) did not establish evidence of misconduct.
However, Kaukoranta rejected that assertion, saying the Assembly had fully respected Khan’s right to due process and that the OIOS investigation produced evidence supporting the allegations.
The secret ballot to remove Khan was held on Friday at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The UN investigation stemmed from allegations by an ICC junior staff member, identified only as Sarah, who accused Khan of sexual harassment and non-consensual sexual acts.
Speaking to CNN, Sarah alleged that Khan gradually crossed professional and personal boundaries.
“There was the pawing, the physical nature of it – but it didn’t start that way. It was kind of like encroachments on the boundaries slowly – not just physically but emotionally as well,” she said.
Khan, 56, cooperated with the UN investigation and has repeatedly denied any inappropriate conduct. In an earlier interview, he said he had informed investigators from the outset that he “completely denied engaging in any harassment, abuse of authority, or inappropriate behavior whatsoever.”
The ICC’s oversight body suspended Khan in June pending the outcome of Friday’s vote.
Ahead of the decision, Norway’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Kravik, whose country backed Khan’s removal, said the prosecutor was “unfit” to continue in office.
“The world, and not least the victims of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, needs an International Criminal Court that functions effectively,” Kravik said.
Khan and several of his supporters have argued that the allegations gained traction because of his decision to pursue arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials over alleged war crimes.
In May 2024, Khan sought arrest warrants for three senior Hamas leaders, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Israel, which is not a member of the ICC, rejected the warrants and welcomed Khan’s removal, describing his tenure as politically motivated. Sarah, however, has denied suggestions that she acted on behalf of any foreign government.
The United States, another non-member of the ICC, also welcomed Khan’s dismissal. Washington has previously imposed sanctions on 11 ICC officials, including Khan, over the court’s investigation into US forces in Afghanistan and its warrants against Israeli leaders.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the US position, saying there were “lunatics and crazies” involved with the ICC and insisting that no American official would ever stand trial before the court.
