Breaking News: The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, has been dismissed following allegations of sexual misconduct.
Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor who sought arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has been removed from office. The decision followed a vote by the Assembly of States Parties, the court’s governing body, prompted by disciplinary proceedings relating to allegations of misconduct involving a junior female staffer. Khan denies any wrongdoing.
The dismissal, the first of a sitting ICC chief prosecutor, comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for the ICC to be “dismantled”, accusing it of undermining American sovereignty. Khan’s pursuit of warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza conflict ignited international condemnation, particularly from Israel and the United States, both non-member states. The warrants became a political issue in New York City, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani previously stated he would seek to arrest Netanyahu should he visit, later acknowledging the city lacks the authority to enforce the warrant.
According to the Fox News report, 82 of the ICC’s 125 member states voted for Khan’s removal. The vote followed a U.N. investigation that found “serious misconduct”. The alleged victim, identified only as Sarah, claimed Khan engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct, stating to CNN, “There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity.” Khan’s legal team has dismissed the allegations as legally flawed and politically motivated, alleging a lack of due process.
Israeli officials claim Khan’s removal exposes the illegitimacy of the warrants against Netanyahu, arguing he attempted to deflect attention from the misconduct allegations. Anne Bayefsky, president of Human Rights Voices, argues the scandal has damaged the ICC’s credibility. Khan’s lawyers intend to challenge the decision through legal channels.
The ICC has not stated whether the dismissal affects the existing arrest warrants.
Sources: Fox News, The Jerusalem Post, Daily Mail
