ICC Chief Prosecutor Removed from Office Over Sexual Harassment Allegations
States parties of the International Criminal Court voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, the first such removal in court history, following allegations of sexual harassment which Khan denies.
The states parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office, according to diplomatic sources cited by the Associated Press. This is the first time in the court's history that a chief prosecutor has been dismissed.
The decision came after allegations of sexual harassment, which Khan has repeatedly denied. In June, he was temporarily suspended pending a review of the allegations after an internal investigation concluded that he committed serious ethical violations. Khan categorically rejects those findings.
According to documents reviewed by the Associated Press, Khan had a sexual relationship with the woman who filed the complaint and allegedly tried to persuade her to drop the case. An independent oversight report also found "serious violations," but he continues to deny all accusations.
Khan's removal comes amid increasing pressure on the ICC from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has already imposed sanctions on Khan and 12 other ICC staff. The sanctions were a response to the court's arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, over the Gaza war, and ICC investigations into U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington is launching a "massive campaign" to eliminate the threat the ICC poses to U.S. sovereignty. He said the U.S. will push states to withdraw from the ICC, impose sanctions on organizations cooperating with the court, and ban its employees from entering the U.S.
Khan's removal does not immediately affect existing arrest warrants. The decision on whether they remain valid is solely up to ICC judges.
