Member States of the International Criminal Court (ICC) dismissed Prosecutor Karim Khan on Friday, July 24, 2026, following disciplinary proceedings related to widely reported sexual misconduct allegations. The decision was made during an emergency session held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The dismissal came after a closed-door vote by the 125-member Assembly of States Parties, with a simple majority deciding to remove Khan. The Assembly president announced, “The Assembly has decided by a majority of 82 States Parties that…prosecutor Karim Kahn committed serious conduct and a serious breach of duty…and to remove [him] from office,” while emphasizing the dignity and privacy of all involved.

Khan had been elected by Member States in 2021 to serve a nine-year term as the ICC’s prosecutor. The ICC, established in 2002 by the Rome Statute, has set international standards for prosecuting the gravest crimes, with seven convictions and 34 ongoing cases. It has issued high-profile arrest warrants in recent years, including for Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2023 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024.

The ICC relies on the cooperation of its 125 Member States to enforce arrests, but not all nations have ratified the Rome Statute, including Israel and the United States, both of which signed it in 2000.

Following Khan’s dismissal, the ICC Assembly will be responsible for electing a new prosecutor shortly. Prior to the dismissal, on June 8, the Bureau had suspended Khan from duty pending a final decision and convened the special session to address the disciplinary proceedings.

Sources