Netherlands / Anadolu

- Amid allegations of 'sexual misconduct,' Khan denied the accusations against him.

- His lawyers consider the removal proceedings unlawful, procedurally unfair, and not based on sufficient evidence.

- The court has faced US and Israeli pressure since issuing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

The Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court dismissed Prosecutor Karim Khan from his post following an investigation into allegations of 'sexual harassment.'

According to diplomatic sources on Friday evening, a secret vote was held during a special session at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on a proposal to remove Khan from his post as ICC prosecutor.

Eighty-two of the court's 125 member states voted in favor of removing Khan, while 13 opposed and 15 abstained from voting.

Under the Rome Statute, removing a prosecutor requires an absolute majority, meaning approval from at least 63 states.

Thus, Karim Khan became the first prosecutor to be removed from office since the ICC's establishment in 2002.

The international court has faced mounting US and Israeli pressure over arrest warrants it issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Following the issuance of the arrest warrants in November 2024, Washington imposed sanctions on Khan and a number of court judges and officials.

The United States and Israel are not members of the court, but the State of Palestine joined the Rome Statute in 2015, granting the court jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory, regardless of the nationality of the accused.

** Allegations denied by Khan

Khan's removal came after an investigation into allegations of 'sexual misconduct' toward a female employee who worked with him at the court.

The allegations came to light in October 2024 and involve alleged events that occurred during the same year.

In light of this, Khan temporarily stepped aside from his duties in May 2025, before being formally suspended in June 2026, pending a vote by member states on his removal.

Khan, a 56-year-old British lawyer, denies the allegations against him, and his lawyers said he did not have 'any sexual relationship of any kind' with the employee, considering the removal proceedings unlawful, procedurally unfair, and not based on sufficient evidence.

Khan's dismissal marks the first ouster of an ICC prosecutor since the court's founding, and the Assembly of States Parties is set to begin proceedings to select his successor, with expectations that the new prosecutor will not be elected before next year.