The International Criminal Court (ICC) faces an uncertain future after its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was ousted by a significant majority of its 125 member states over allegations of sexual misconduct. Khan, a British barrister, has denied the accusations, which were outlined by The Associated Press and involved a female aide.
The swift and decisive vote occurred Friday, ending a lengthy and contentious process. According to documents obtained by the AP, Khan was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with the aide and attempting to prevent her from pursuing her allegations. Khan's removal comes as the court navigates numerous challenges, including what U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as a "sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty."
In the wake of Khan's removal, representatives from countries with open ICC investigations convened to discuss potential impasses. Some states had begun planning for the aftermath before the final votes were cast, emphasizing the need for unity within the court.
A special session at U.N. headquarters in New York, initially scheduled for the entire day Friday, saw a motion to make ousting Khan more difficult fail. Following this, diplomats moved forward with the removal vote several hours ahead of schedule.
"Whether Khan is removed or not, we must bring everyone back together," one diplomatic official familiar with the discussions told the AP. Iva Vukusic, a researcher at Utrecht University, expressed surprise at the decisiveness of the vote, noting, "The numbers indicate that there is more agreement than previously thought."
The court's operations have been a point of contention, particularly following its investigations into alleged war crimes in Gaza and Afghanistan. The Trump administration previously imposed sanctions on Khan and other ICC staff in response to investigations concerning Israeli officials and U.S. military personnel.
Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi stated that the vote to remove the prosecutor was "not a political proxy vote on any Situation before the ICC." Khan's removal will not immediately affect arrest warrants, as those can only be withdrawn by ICC judges.
Khan's two deputy prosecutors have led the office since he stepped down in May 2025 and will continue to manage its operations until a new chief prosecutor is selected. The process for electing a new prosecutor in 2021 took approximately 18 months and faced criticism regarding the stringency of background checks for candidates.
Khan intends to "challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms," according to a statement from his attorney. While there is no direct appeals process for his removal, ICC staff have the option to bring complaints to a labor tribunal in Geneva. Khan's legal team criticized the process, asserting he was prevented from addressing the session and that regulations were altered to his disadvantage.
On Monday, court staff will return to The Hague with some clarity regarding the path forward. "I hope now the court can move on and focus on its core work of dealing with cases," Vukusic stated.
Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the court hours after the vote, citing a "demonstrated geographical bias" in its work.