ICC reconvenes after sacking chief prosecutor over allegations of sexual misconduct
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Supporters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were working to find a way forward on Saturday, a day after the world institution entered into the unknown following the dismissal of its chief prosecutor over allegations of sexual misconduct.
The long and damaging process ended quickly and with a decision on Friday, when a majority of the court's 125 member states voted to remove Karim Khan from his position.
A British lawyer has been accused of sexual misconduct with a female assistant, as revealed by the Associated Press in a series of stories, allegations he strongly denied. According to documents seen by the AP, Khan engaged in sexual relations with the woman and tried to stop her from continuing her allegations.
Khan's ouster comes at a time when the court is already facing serious challenges, including a US campaign to “dismantle” the ICC, which was set up to prosecute people involved in humanity's worst crimes.
Court supporters look forward
Several countries where the ICC has opened an investigation met on the sidelines of an event on Friday to discuss ways to resolve the problems caused by Khan's removal, according to three senior officials with knowledge of the talks.
One of the officials said many states have started planning how to move forward before the final votes are counted.
“Whether Khan is removed or not, we must bring everyone back together,” said the official. All spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.
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The special session at the UN headquarters in New York was supposed to last the whole of Friday. Instead, an early-morning motion that would have made it difficult to remove Khan from office failed and diplomats quickly moved to vote for the removal, hours ahead of schedule, according to three politicians familiar with the allegations.
Iva Vukusic, a researcher at the University of Utrecht who has been following the process, said he was surprised at how much decision there was.
“The numbers indicate that there is more agreement than previously thought,” he told the AP.
Khan's dismissal comes at a critical time
This decision comes at a time when the world court is under a lot of pressure.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that Washington will launch “a major campaign to eliminate the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to US sovereignty.”
A few hours after Friday's vote, Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the court, saying its work reflected “demonstrated local bias.” Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia made the announcement in a statement.
The Trump administration has already imposed sanctions on Khan and a dozen other ICC staff members in retaliation for investigations of Israeli officials in Gaza and US troops in Afghanistan.
The allegations coincide with the court's investigation into the war in Gaza, which Khan's supporters say is at risk of warrants issued to top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Palestinian representatives quickly backed away from that story.
“The vote of the Assembly of States Parties to remove the prosecutor was not a political vote in any case before the ICC,” Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi said in a statement.
Khan's removal will have no immediate effect on his arrest, which can only be lifted by ICC judges.
The work of the court will continue
Two of Khan's deputy prosecutors have held the office since he stepped down in May 2025. In a statement, the prosecutor's office said they will continue “leadership, administration and management” until a new king is elected.
It is not yet clear when member states will be able to decide on Khan's replacement. His election in 2021 lasted about 18 months and was criticized by civil society groups for the lack of rigorous vetting of candidates to ensure they meet the requirement of “high moral character.”
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The removal vote may not be the end of Khan's process. He intends to “challenge the legality and fairness of the decision by all available legal means,” lawyer Tayab Ali said in a statement.
There is no appeal system for his removal, but all ICC staff have the right to bring complaints to a special staff body based in Geneva.
Khan's lawyers criticized the process leading to his removal, complaining that he was prevented from addressing the jury on Friday and saying the rules had been rewritten to disadvantage him.
On Monday, lawyers and investigators will return to the court's headquarters in The Hague, with at least some clarity on the future.
“I hope now the court can continue to focus on its core task of dealing with cases,” said Vukusic.
