ICC sets July 24 vote on removing prosecutor Karim Khan

The ICC scheduled a July 24 special session for member states to vote on removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan, suspended June 8 over misconduct findings.wsj
A U.N. investigation found evidence of “nonconsensual sexual contact” with a female aide; Khan’s legal team says an independent judicial panel cleared him.cnn
Removal requires at least 63 of 125 member states voting in a secret ballot — an unprecedented proceeding in the court’s 24-year history.aljazeera

ICC Sets July 24 Vote to Decide Whether to Remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan

The International Criminal Court has scheduled a special session for July 24 to determine whether to remove chief prosecutor Karim Khan from office, following his suspension earlier this month over findings of sexual misconduct involving a female aide.wsj

Suspension and Bureau Findings

Khan was suspended on June 8 by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s 21-member executive body, after a qualified majority concluded he had engaged in “serious misconduct” and a “serious breach of duty.” The decision followed an 18-month investigation by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services, which found evidence of “nonconsensual sexual contact” between Khan and a female aide in his office, at his residence, and during missions abroad, according to a copy of the report reviewed by the Associated Press.cnn

According to Reuters, 14 countries — including Belgium, Chile, and Japan — voted against Khan in the bureau’s confidential ballot, while four African nations supported his acquittal. The bureau recommended that the prosecutor be removed from office.reuters

Khan’s legal team has rejected the proceedings, pointing to an independent judicial panel appointed by the bureau itself that unanimously found the factual findings “do not establish misconduct or breach of duty under the relevant legal framework.” Khan has consistently denied any wrongdoing and voluntarily stepped aside in May 2025 while the investigation was ongoing.middleeasteye

What Comes Next

The vote at the United Nations headquarters in New York will require an absolute majority of the ICC’s 125 member states — at least 63 countries — to support Khan’s removal in a secret ballot. The proceedings mark an unprecedented chapter for the court, which has never before formally suspended or sought to remove a chief prosecutor in its 24-year history.aljazeera

Khan’s suspension is not expected to affect the court’s operations, as his deputies have overseen the Office of the Prosecutor since his voluntary leave began more than a year ago. The ICC continues to pursue high-profile cases, including arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin during Khan’s tenure.abc