ICC member states vote 82-43 to remove prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual assault claims he denies

The Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court voted on 24 July 2026 to remove Karim Khan from his post as chief prosecutor. The decision follows allegations of sexual assault made by a member of his team, which Khan rejects.

The vote and the allegations

Diplomatic sources reported that 82 of the 125 ICC member states voted in favour of removing the 56-year-old British lawyer. The vote followed a determination last month by the court’s oversight body that Khan had an “inappropriate relationship” with a younger female ICC lawyer and should be dismissed. Khan and his lawyers say the process leading to the vote was illegal, procedurally unfair and not based on evidence.

The process leading to this vote was illegal, procedurally unfair and not based on evidence.

The woman who accuses Khan spoke publicly for the first time in an interview with CNN the previous week, repeating that she had a non-consensual sexual relationship with him.

US sanctions and diplomatic campaign

The vote took place after the United States, which is not an ICC member, announced a new diplomatic campaign to dissolve the court, which it says threatens its sovereignty. Washington imposed sanctions on 11 ICC judges and prosecutors, including Khan, citing arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and older investigations into the actions of US soldiers in Afghanistan.

There are crazy people at the ICC. Under no circumstances will American politicians or military personnel ever be tried by this body.

The US Secretary of State made the remarks during a visit to the Philippines.

Israel reacts

Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Danny Danon, said after the vote that “the political witch hunt against Israel did not save Karim Khan.”

By issuing a politically motivated arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu, Karim Khan thought the world would ignore the serious allegations of sexual misconduct against him. He was wrong.

Danon added that Khan “tried to scapegoat Israel in an attempt to distract from his own misconduct” and that “the international community today rejected this cynical attempt.”

Arrest warrants remain in force

Despite Khan’s removal, the arrest warrants he issued remain valid because only ICC judges have the authority to withdraw them. The process to elect a new chief prosecutor begins immediately but is not expected to conclude before next year.

Venezuela withdraws

Venezuela formally notified the United Nations on the same day of its “irrevocable” decision to withdraw from the ICC, Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia said. Caracas justified its decision by citing the court’s “geographic bias,” claiming it primarily targets countries of the Global South, particularly in Africa and Latin America.