Overview
- A large majority of states voted to dismiss Karim Khan, with 82 of the court’s 125 members concluding he committed serious misconduct in a secret expedited ballot on Friday.
- Khan was accused of sexual misconduct with a junior staffer and of trying to block her complaint; he denies wrongdoing and says he will challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the removal.
- The two deputy prosecutors who have run the Office since Khan stepped down in May 2025 will continue to manage prosecutions and administration while the court selects a successor.
- Existing arrest warrants remain in force because only ICC judges can withdraw them, but the ouster has already prompted Venezuela to begin withdrawal proceedings and follows U.S. sanctions that have increased political pressure on the court.
- The episode exposed weaknesses in vetting and oversight from Khan’s 2021 selection, left no internal appeals route for removal, and creates a contested succession that could slow case work and weaken member-state cooperation.