ICC removes chief prosecutor Karim Khan over misconduct allegations

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from his post over allegations of sexual misconduct, nearly two years after the accusations first emerged.

The decision was approved by a large majority of the court‍‍`s 125 member states during a meeting of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), which said Khan had committed "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty."

Khan, a 56-year-old British lawyer, has consistently denied the allegations. 

However, documents reviewed by The Associated Press alleged that he had a sexual relationship with a female aide and later attempted to discourage her from pursuing the claims.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision, saying the ICC must uphold the highest standards of accountability and maintain a workplace where allegations of abuse, including sexual harassment, are addressed through effective and credible mechanisms.

The Assembly of States Parties will now begin the process of selecting a new chief prosecutor. 

Whoever succeeds Khan is expected to inherit an institution facing growing political and diplomatic pressure, including sanctions imposed by the Trump administration.

Khan‍‍`s legal team criticised the process that led to his removal, arguing that he had been denied a fair opportunity to defend himself.

His lawyer, Tayab Ali, said Khan was not allowed to address Friday‍‍`s session and claimed procedural rules had been altered in a way that placed him at a disadvantage. 

He added that the decision would be challenged through all available legal channels.

The leadership change comes at a particularly sensitive time for the court as it faces increasing pressure from Washington.

Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced what he described as a broad campaign to weaken the ICC, saying the United States would encourage member states to withdraw from the court, impose sanctions on organisations cooperating with it and restrict travel to the US for ICC officials.

He also urged countries that benefit from American security assistance not to recognise the court‍‍`s jurisdiction over US citizens.

Hours after Friday‍‍`s vote, Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the ICC. Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia accused the court of applying justice selectively by focusing disproportionately on African and Latin American countries.

Earlier this year, ICC prosecutors closed an investigation into whether US sanctions on Venezuela amounted to crimes against humanity, saying there was insufficient evidence to proceed. 

A separate investigation into alleged crimes committed by Venezuelan security forces under former president Nicolás Maduro remains ongoing.

The Trump administration has already sanctioned Khan and 12 other ICC officials in response to arrest warrants issued against senior Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, over the war in Gaza, as well as investigations involving US personnel in Afghanistan.

Legal experts say the allegations against Khan became entangled with the court‍‍`s politically sensitive investigations, particularly after it issued arrest warrants for officials from one of Washington‍‍`s closest allies.

His removal will not affect the arrest warrants issued in 2024 for Netanyahu and Gallant, as only ICC judges have the authority to revoke or amend those warrants.

Assembly of States Parties President Päivi Kaukoranta called on the international community to respect the dignity and privacy of everyone involved in the case. 

She also thanked member states for handling the matter with unity while helping safeguard the court‍‍`s independence and integrity.