Members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday to dismiss Karim Khan as prosecutor following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The ICC’s oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), found that Khan had committed “gross misconduct and serious breach of duty”, ASP President Paivi Kaukoranta said.
What do we know so far?
Khan, a British barrister, was accused of sexual misconduct with a female colleague, allegations he has repeatedly denied. He was temporarily removed from his duties at the ICC in June after a report by the court’s watchdog’s Executive Committee found that he had committed “serious misconduct”.
Overall, 82 of the court’s 125 member states voted in favor of Khan’s removal, while 13 voted against and 15 countries abstained.
Khan, 56, made headlines in 2024 when he successfully applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant over the Gaza war, as well as key members of the Hamas terror group, who have since been killed. Hamas had carried out a terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023.
Despite Khan’s dismissal, all active ICC warrants will remain in place, as only ICC judges have the authority to withdraw warrants.
What were the reactions to Khan’s dismissal?
Khan’s lawyer Tayyab Ali said Khan would legally challenge the dismissal.
“Mr Khan will challenge the legality and fairness of the decision despite all available legal mechanisms,” Ali wrote in a post on Twitter.
Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and now visiting professor at Princeton University, wrote on X that the ICC had done “the right thing” by removing Khan.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon criticized Khan’s actions in a statement posted on Twitter following his dismissal.
Dannon said, “Khan thought his political machinations against Israel and the outrageous arrest warrants would distract attention from the allegations of serious sexual misconduct.” “He was wrong.”
Khan’s suspension comes as Trump administration wants to ‘abolish’ ICC
The move to dismiss Khan has been taken at a time when the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to destroy the ICC. The ICC, based in the Dutch city of The Hague, investigates and prosecutes individuals for genocide and other crimes against humanity.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said that the US has launched a “comprehensive campaign to eliminate the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to American sovereignty.”
State Department said Countries that take advantage of the US security umbrella are asked to “reject the ICC’s purported authority to prosecute US officials and soldiers.” The State Department is also considering “visa revocation and travel restrictions for ICC personnel” as well as “increased sanctions against the ICC and affiliated organizations.”
Neither the United States nor Israel is a member of the ICC.
Venezuela announced its withdrawal from ICC
Venezuela said it would withdraw from the ICC on Friday. This comes after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was ousted by the US earlier this year and replaced by interim leader Delsey Rodriguez, who was willing to comply with the Trump administration’s demands.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said, “The Court’s actions reflect a demonstrated geographic bias, having focused its work disproportionately on African and Latin American countries to determine the global South.”
Plasencia said the withdrawal was at the direction of Delcy Rodriguez.
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Edited by: Wesley Dockery