ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan Dismissed for Sexual Harassment
In a secret ballot, 82 of 125 member states of the International Criminal Court voted to dismiss Karim Khan, who was known for arrest warrants against Putin and Netanyahu.
In a secret ballot, 82 of 125 member states of the International Criminal Court voted to dismiss Karim Khan, who was known for arrest warrants against Putin and Netanyahu.
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, was dismissed from his post on Friday, July 24, 2026, after 82 of the 125 member states of the Court determined in a secret ballot that he had "committed a serious misconduct and a serious breach of duties", according to a Court statement. Khan had led the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor since 2021, and allegations of sexual misconduct toward a female staff member first surfaced in 2024.
Khan was suspended in June 2026 after 21 states in the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties made that decision due to suspected misconduct. A UN commission, which investigated the allegations, submitted its report to the Court at the end of 2025. According to media reports, the commission found it proven that Khan had engaged in non-consensual sexual contact with a female staff member. The woman reiterated the allegations in an interview with the American television network CNN.
The case was not straightforward. An opinion by three judges identified flaws in the UN investigation, concluding that the credibility of witnesses had not been sufficiently examined. According to Khan's lawyers, this panel of judges concluded that no misconduct or breach of duties had been proven. The British lawyer Khan had consistently and firmly denied all allegations from the outset. Despite this, representatives of 21 states in the Bureau of the Assembly decided to initiate suspension proceedings, which ultimately led to a vote and dismissal.
Karim Khan was one of the most prominent figures in international justice in recent years. It was he who, as ICC Chief Prosecutor, requested arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes in the Gaza war, as reported by the dpa news agency. Both warrants provoked strong international reactions. It is important to note that neither the US nor Israel are member states of the ICC, which diplomatically limited the practical enforcement of these warrants.
Khan's dismissal comes at a time when the ICC is going through one of the most challenging periods in its history, facing geopolitical pressures over the execution of arrest warrants for high-ranking state officials. In a statement issued on Friday, the Presidency of the Assembly called for "due respect for the privacy and rights of all involved parties." Who will temporarily or permanently assume the post of ICC Chief Prosecutor was not specified in available sources at the time of publication.
The dismissal of the Chief Prosecutor raises questions about continuity in the cases the ICC handled under Khan's leadership, including those concerning Russia and Israel. The process of appointing a new prosecutor, according to ICC rules, falls under the jurisdiction of the Assembly of States Parties, but the timeline for this process has not yet been announced. Croatia is a member of the International Criminal Court, so developments at this institution will also be closely watched from Zagreb.
