Member states of the ICC voted during an emergency session at United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York on Friday to dismiss Khan, who had been elected in 2021 to serve a nine-year term.
The decision was taken behind closed doors by the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s oversight body. Khan was removed by a simple majority vote among the ICC’s 125 member states.
“The Assembly has decided by a majority of 82 States Parties that prosecutor Karim Khan committed serious conduct and a serious breach of duty…and to remove [him] from office,” the Assembly President announced.
The Assembly also called for the dignity and privacy of all parties involved to be respected.
The ICC, established under the Rome Statute in 2002, prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression. The ICC has a cooperation agreement with the UN but operates independently.
The ICC has issued several high-profile arrest warrants in recent years, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.
The Assembly will now be responsible for electing a new prosecutor.
The ICC has recorded seven convictions since its establishment and currently has 34 cases on its docket. However, the ICC relies on state cooperation to enforce arrest warrants, as the institution has no police force of its own.
Not all countries are parties to the Rome Statute. Israel and the United States signed the treaty in 2000 but have not ratified it.
In 2025, Washington imposed sanctions on nine ICC personnel, including judges, Khan and deputy prosecutors, in connection with investigations into alleged war crimes involving Israel and the US.
Misconduct allegations against Khan first emerged in 2024. In November that year, the ICC requested an external investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services.
In May 2025, Khan announced a leave of absence while the investigation proceeded, with ICC deputy prosecutors assuming leadership of the Office of the Prosecutor.
In March 2026, the Assembly received findings from a panel of judicial experts. A further assessment by the ICC Bureau drew on the investigation report, underlying evidence, expert advice and written submissions.
On June 8, the Bureau referred the disciplinary proceedings to the Assembly, suspended Khan with immediate effect and convened the special session that led to Friday’s vote.
–UN/ChannelAfrica–
