The Assembly of States Parties, the management body of the International Criminal Court (ICC), voted on Friday to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from his position. The decision followed an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving a staff member that first surfaced nearly two years ago. Khan, a British barrister, had served as the court's top prosecutor since June 2021.
The removal process was initiated after an internal oversight mechanism reviewed the claims against Khan. While the specific details of the allegations were not released in the public announcement, the oversight body determined that the findings warranted a vote by the member countries. Khan has previously denied the allegations, characterizing them as factual inaccuracies and stating he would cooperate with any formal inquiries.
The ICC is a permanent international court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Khan’s tenure included overseeing high-profile investigations into conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Assembly of States Parties did not immediately name a permanent successor but indicated that an interim prosecutor would manage the office's operations until a new chief is elected.