Members of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday to dismiss Karim Khan as the prosecutor amid allegations of sexual misconduct, according to two diplomatic sources. These sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the information, stated that 82 out of the court’s 125 member states cast ballots in favor of removing Khan.
Khan, who is 56 years old, firmly denies any misconduct. His legal team has criticized the process that led to the vote, labeling it “unlawful,” procedurally unfair, and lacking sufficient evidence.
The decision to dismiss Khan comes shortly after the United States announced plans to intensify efforts to weaken the ICC, claiming the tribunal poses a threat to U.S. sovereignty. Last month, oversight authorities within the court concluded that Khan had engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a junior ICC lawyer and recommended his termination. That conclusion was largely reflected in the recent vote at the United Nations in New York.
During a visit to the Philippines on Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the ICC, referring to some individuals involved as “lunatics” and “crazies.” He reaffirmed that no U.S. government or military officials would ever face trial at the court, echoing previous critiques. The U.S., which is not a member of the ICC, has already imposed sanctions on 11 court judges and prosecutors—including Karim Khan—citing arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and a past investigation into U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
The woman who accused Khan spoke publicly for the first time last week in an interview with CNN, reiterating her claims that Khan engaged in a non-consensual sexual relationship with her. Khan’s attorneys responded to Reuters that he denies “any sexual relationship of any kind” with the staff member.
Following Khan’s removal, a process will commence to elect a new ICC prosecutor, though a replacement is not expected to be appointed before next year. Despite Khan’s dismissal, any existing ICC warrants will stay in effect, as only ICC judges have the authority to revoke them.