ICC Top Prosecutor Removed Over Sexual Misconduct

Member-states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have voted to remove prosecutor Karim Khan over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Assembly of States Parties (ASP), composed of representatives from ICC member-states, voted during a special session on disciplinary proceedings at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday, July 24, to dismiss Khan from office.

“The Assembly adopted a decision, by secret ballot, by an absolute majority of 82 States-Parties, finding that Mr. Karim Khan committed serious misconduct and serious breach of duty and removed him from office,” the ASP said in a statement.

“The Presidency of the Assembly continues to call for due respect for the privacy and the rights of all parties concerned,” it added.

Sources told AFP that only 13 of the court’s 125 member-states voted to retain Khan, while 15 abstained and others did not participate in the vote.

The ASP is the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC, composed of representatives of states that have ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the international tribunal.

The ICC said it “takes note” of the ASP decision and called for respect of the privacy and rights of all those involved in the process

“The Deputy Prosecutors will continue to provide the leadership, management and direction of the Office of the Prosecutor, as they have done since Mr. Khan took a leave of absence in May 2025 and following his suspension from duty on June 8, 2026,” the tribunal said.

“Throughout this process, the Court has continued to carry out its mandate and activities, thanks to the professionalism and dedication of staff members,” it added.

Reaffirming its commitment to maintaining a safe working environment for all personnel, the court stressed: “The ICC remains firmly committed to advancing accountability and delivering justice for victims of crimes that deeply shock the conscience of humanity.”

Khan’s lawyer, Tayab Ali, said the former prosecutor would challenge “the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms.”

Sexual misconduct

Khan faced an investigation after a female lawyer accused him of sexual misconduct. He was later suspended from duty.

The victim, a Malaysian lawyer who worked as Khan’s direct assistant, told CNN that what began as “an escalation of attempts” eventually resulted in physical assault.

“There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity,” she said. “What I think many people don’t understand is that Mr. Khan was not just my boss, he was everyone’s boss.”

The British lawyer has repeatedly denied the allegations and vowed to cooperate with the investigation.

“Our client continues to deny categorically any allegations of misconduct, and he will continue to cooperate with the investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services,” his lawyers told The Philippine STAR last year.

Months before the allegations surfaced, Khan had come under intense scrutiny after his office sought arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the situation in Palestine.

He also faced criticism from supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte following Duterte’s arrest and surrender to the ICC.

It was Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, who initiated the investigation into the situation in the Philippines. Khan proceeded with the investigation and applied for an arrest warrant against Duterte in March 2025. Deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang took over the case after Khan went on leave. – With an additional report from Agence France Presse