ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan Ousted Amidst Explosive Sexual Misconduct Allegations

ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan Ousted Amidst Explosive Sexual Misconduct Allegations

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | July 27, 2026

MANILA, Philippines – International Criminal Court (ICC) Top Prosecutor Karim Khan has been definitively ousted from his post following disciplinary proceedings stemming from widely reported sexual misconduct allegations. In an unprecedented emergency session at UN Headquarters in New York, the Assembly of States Parties – the ICC’s governing body – voted to dismiss Khan, who had been elected in 2021 to serve a nine-year term.

The decision, made by a simple majority during a closed-door vote among the 125 member states, marks a pivotal moment for the world’s only permanent war crimes tribunal. “The Assembly has decided by a majority of 82 States Parties that… Prosecutor Karim Khan committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty… and to remove [him] from office,” announced the Assembly president, emphasizing the need for dignity and privacy for all involved.

Khan’s removal follows a period of intense scrutiny and investigation. Suspended last month, his dismissal follows the findings of the court’s oversight body in June, which concluded he had engaged in an improper sexual relationship with a junior ICC staff member and subsequently attempted to impede her complaint. While Khan has consistently denied all allegations, his legal team has vowed to challenge “the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms.”

The intricate and sensitive investigation began in May 2024, when allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female staff member were reported to the ICC. Initially, the court’s Independent Oversight Mechanism (IOM) closed its investigation after the alleged victim declined to participate, a decision that drew criticism and undermined confidence in the IOM’s process. However, a second referral in October 2024 prompted a broader investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS). This extensive inquiry, conducted from November 2024 to December 2025, generated over 5,000 pages of evidence and testimony. The OIOS findings were subsequently reviewed by a panel of three judges, whose recommendations ultimately led to the Assembly’s decisive vote.

This internal crisis unfolds against a backdrop of escalating external pressures on the ICC. Khan’s tenure was notably marked by the issuance of high-profile arrest warrants, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and, controversially, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged crimes linked to the war in Gaza. These actions triggered a fierce response from the United States, which, despite not being an ICC member, imposed sanctions on Khan and initiated a “whole-of-government” campaign to dismantle the court, citing threats to American sovereignty. This campaign promises visa bans, asset freezes, and diplomatic pressure on allies to withdraw from the court or reject its jurisdiction over their nationals.

Khan, a prominent British lawyer, has been on voluntary leave to address the allegations since May 2025 and remains suspended from practicing law in the UK while the Bar Standards Board conducts its own inquiry. His absence from the dismissal vote, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, was due to a pre-existing US travel ban imposed during the Trump administration over the ICC’s investigation into alleged Israeli war crimes.

The unprecedented removal of an ICC chief prosecutor for misconduct, coupled with the intense international political backlash, places the institution at a critical juncture. Supporters fear the court will emerge weakened, its ability to address the gravest global threats compromised. The process transcends the fate of a single individual; it has exposed internal divisions, intensified external attacks, and ignited a profound debate about the future and efficacy of the world’s only permanent war crimes tribunal. The Assembly now faces the immediate challenge of electing a new prosecutor, a decision that will undoubtedly shape the ICC’s trajectory and its capacity to deliver justice on a global scale.

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