ICC prosecutor behind Netanyahu arrest bid removed over sexual misconduct claims
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan from office, according to diplomatic sources cited by Reuters and AFP.
The Assembly of States Parties, comprising 125 nations, held a special session in New York where 82 countries supported his dismissal—well above the required absolute majority of 63 votes.
This marks the first successful removal effort in the ICC’s 24-year history.
Khan, a British barrister appointed in 2021, had been suspended earlier amid the allegations.
The vote comes as the court faces intense external pressures, including US sanctions related to its investigations into the ‘Israeli’ war on Gaza.
The case centers on accusations from a junior staff member, referred to as “Sarah,” a Malaysian lawyer who served as Khan’s assistant.
In a CNN interview, she detailed a pattern of escalating non-consensual acts over about a year, including groping, unwanted advances, and sexual assaults in various locations such as his office, residence, and during official missions.
UN and ICC probes found the claims credible, with one internal report concluding sexual harassment “beyond a reasonable doubt” due to the power imbalance.
Khan has consistently and strongly denied all allegations.
His lawyers described the process as “unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,” arguing that investigations failed to meet proper legal standards and that some findings did not establish misconduct beyond a reasonable doubt.
A judicial panel had previously cleared him on that higher threshold.
The removal unfolds against the backdrop of Khan’s high-profile actions as prosecutor.
In 2024, he sought arrest warrants for ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and also Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes in Gaza, drawing sharp criticism from ‘Israel’, the US, and allies, while earning support from others.
Critics and supporters alike have debated whether the misconduct case was influenced by these geopolitical tensions.
