Assembly of Member States The International Criminal Court (ICC) votes with an absolute majority to dismiss the Prosecutor General Karim Khan.
The decision was made during a closed emergency session at the UN headquarters in New York following an investigation into serious misconduct and sexual harassment of a subordinate.
A total of 82 countries supported the early termination of his 9-year term.
Karim Khan became world famous after initiating arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.
Khan's legal team announced that he would challenge the dismissal in court, describing the process as "illegal" and subject to geopolitical pressure. The ICC clarified that his removal will not affect the legitimacy of the arrest warrants already issued.
Karim Khan was officially charged in serious misconduct and sexual harassment of his subordinate.
The case develops as follows:
- Initial allegations: Allegations of misconduct against a young employee on his team first emerged in late 2024. They were later joined by complaints from an unpaid intern.
- Independent investigation: ICC assigned case to UN Internal Oversight Service (OIOS), Karim Khan went on leave while investigation was ongoing
- Final decision: Following the conclusion of the investigation and review by judicial experts, the Assembly of Member States decided that there is serious breach of duty and voted for his early removal by a majority of 82 votes.
Context and geopolitical clash:
Karim Khan himself categorically denies the charges and claims that they are part of a large-scale political campaign to discredit the court. His defense links the dismissal to the enormous pressure from the US and Israel, after Khan requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Galant in 2024 for war crimes in Gaza. The US administration has even imposed personal financial sanctions and visa bans against Khan and other ICC officials in an attempt to block the work of the tribunal.