UN Photo/E.Debebe Karim Khan holds a briefing for members of the Organization’s Security Council. Photo from the archive International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan removed from office International Law
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has suspended its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, following disciplinary proceedings related to highly publicized sexual assault allegations. The decision was made on Friday at an emergency session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, held at UN headquarters in New York.
The decision was made by a simple majority of votes during a closed vote of 125 states participating in the Assembly. Karim Khan was elected to a nine-year term as ICC Prosecutor in 2021.
60~p>“The Assembly, by a majority of 82 States Parties, has decided that Prosecutor Karim Khan has committed serious misconduct and gross violation of his official duties… and has decided to remove him from office,” the Assembly President announced, calling for respect for the dignity and right to privacy of all participants business.
The ICC, which cooperates with the UN under a special agreement, has issued several high-profile arrest warrants in recent years, including against Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.
The Assembly of States Parties is due to elect a new prosecutor soon trial.
Sentences and restrictions
Since its creation in 2002, based on the Rome Statute, the ICC has set international standards for dealing with the most serious crimes. To date, the court has handed down seven convictions, and there are 34 cases pending.
At the same time, the ICC does not have its own mechanisms for arresting suspects and is entirely dependent on the cooperation of states, primarily its 125 member states.
Not all countries have acceded to the Rome Statute. In particular, Israel and the United States signed the document in 2000, but have not yet ratified it. States.
Investigation Chronology
Accusations of misconduct against Karim Khan were brought forward in 2024
- In November 2024, the ICC commissioned the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) to conduct an independent investigation.
- In May 2025, Karim Khan announced that he would be taking leave pending an OIOS investigation, and the leadership of the Office of the Prosecutor was temporarily transferred to his deputies.
- In March 2026, the Assembly received the findings of a panel of independent forensic experts.
- In June, the Bureau of the Assembly prepared an assessment based on the OIOS report, collected evidence, recommendations of forensic experts and written submissions of the parties.
- At a meeting on June 8, the Bureau, by a qualified majority, referred the disciplinary case to the Assembly for consideration, decided to immediately remove the prosecutor from his duties until a final decision is made and convene a special session.
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court considers cases against individuals accused in war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
It was created with the “millions of children, women and men” who have been victims of “unimaginable atrocities that deeply shock the conscience of mankind” in mind. It is the first permanent international criminal court established by an international treaty with the power to investigate such crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.
The ICC is not a substitute for national courts. It acts as a court of last resort. The primary responsibility for investigating, prosecuting and punishing the most serious crimes lies with states.