The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court was removed from his post on Friday, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations against him first surfaced.
The Assembly of States Parties, the court’s oversight body, said in a statement that the 125 member states of the International Criminal Court, by a large majority, ousted British lawyer Karim Khan on charges of “serious misconduct and serious violation of his duties.”
This long and complex process has pitted human rights defenders, staff and Member States against each other at a time when the Court is already facing enormous challenges, including a campaign by the United States to “dismantle” the International Criminal Court, which was established to prosecute people responsible for the worst crimes committed by humanity.
The watchdog will now need to hold an election for a new prosecutor, one who is likely to face sanctions from the Trump administration, which has already imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on 13 employees, including Khan.
“The ICC must adhere to the highest standards,” Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement to the AP. “This includes ensuring a safe workplace with effective and credible mechanisms available for employees or others who experience abuse, including sexual violence or harassment.”
Khan, 56, has been accused of sexual misconduct with his assistant, the Associated Press explained in a series of stories, allegations he has strenuously denied. According to documents seen by the AP, Khan had a sexual relationship with the woman and tried to prevent her from pursuing her allegations.
Khan’s lawyers have criticized the process that led to his ouster, complained that he was prevented from addressing the session on Friday, and argued that the regulations were rewritten to disadvantage him.
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Khan’s removal “was determined through a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard, and in defiance of the conclusions of the independent judges who examined the full evidentiary record,” lawyer Tayyab Ali said in a statement. He said Khan’s legal team would appeal the decision “through all available legal mechanisms.”
This decision comes at a time when the International Court is under tremendous pressure.
In a statement issued last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was waging “a sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat the ICC poses to American sovereignty.”
Rubio said he would pressure member states to withdraw from the institution, sanction organizations that work with the court, and ban staff from traveling to the United States. Countries that “enjoy the benefits of the US security umbrella” will be called upon to reject the court’s jurisdiction to deal with US citizens.
Hours after the vote on Friday, Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the court. Felix Plasencia, Venezuelan Foreign Minister, announced in a statement that “Venezuela considers that the court’s actions reflect a clear geographical bias, which has disproportionately focused its work on African and Latin American countries, to the detriment of the Global South.”
Earlier this year, prosecutors announced in court that they were dropping the investigation into whether US sanctions against Venezuela constitute crimes against humanity, citing a lack of evidence. A separate investigation will continue into possible crimes committed by Venezuelan security forces under former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The Trump administration has already imposed sanctions on Khan and dozens of other ICC staff members in response to arrest warrants issued by the court for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over the war in Gaza and investigations into American staff in Afghanistan.
Experts said that the accusations against Khan have become intertwined with the court’s investigation into the war in Gaza.
“Political considerations have been incorporated into this matter, especially since this is the first time a prosecutor has pursued arrest warrants against a Western ally,” Eva Vukosic, a researcher at Utrecht University who is following the process, told the Associated Press.
Khan’s removal will have no immediate impact on arrest warrants issued in 2024 for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant on charges of crimes against humanity, which can only be withdrawn by ICC judges.
Before ending the closed session, Cucuranta called on the international community to respect “the dignity and privacy of all participants” in Khan’s case.
“I expressed my deep appreciation to the Assembly of States Parties for its diligent consideration of this difficult matter, and for the spirit of unity demonstrated in preserving the integrity of the court,” she said.
Coyle reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Amiri reported from New York.
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