ICC Chief Prosecutor's Future at Stake in Secret Vote Amid Sanctions
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Tayab Ali, head of Khan’s legal team, stated that the decision has "grave implications beyond Mr Khan’s individual case."
Al Jazeera - Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the US, claimed that Khan's case against Israeli officials is "illegitimate."
ABC News - Lucy Gaynor stated, “There has been splintering over how the court has handled this.”
ABC News - Kenneth Roth wrote on social media that Khan “clearly does not” have “the moral authority and credibility to continue serving as prosecutor.”
ABC News - Iva Vukusic commented that the court is going to walk away “bruised and battered and wounded and less able to face the greater threats.”
ABC News - Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC)
ABC News - Lucy Gaynor, historian of international criminal tribunals at the University of Amsterdam
ABC News - Josep Borrell, former EU foreign policy chief
ABC News - Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch
ABC News - Tom Berendsen, Dutch Foreign Minister
ABC News - Iva Vukusic, researcher at Utrecht University
WHAT:
ABC News - The vote to remove Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the ICC was the first time a chief prosecutor has ever been removed from office.
ABC News - The Assembly of States Parties concluded that Khan had committed "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty," according to Päivi Kaukoranta, the body's president.
ABC News - A motion brought by Sierra Leone that would have made it harder to oust Khan failed early in the session, allowing diplomats to quickly move forward to vote on removal several hours ahead of schedule.
ABC News - Venezuelan Foreign Affairs Minister Félix Plasencia announced that Venezuela would withdraw from the ICC, citing a “demonstrated geographical bias” in the court's actions.
ABC News - The ICC's prosecutor's office will now be headed by deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang following Khan's removal.
ABC News - The election process for a new ICC prosecutor has been triggered by Khan's removal, although a vote is not expected before next year.
ABC News - Khan intends to “challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms,” according to his attorney Tayab Ali.
ABC News - Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the ICC, stating its work reflects a “demonstrated geographical bias.”
ABC News - The vote to remove Khan was described as having a "large majority" among the ICC's 125 member states.
ABC News - The Assembly of States Parties voted to remove Khan almost two years after the allegations first surfaced.
Al Jazeera - The Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted to remove prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual misconduct allegations, with his legal team suggesting the move was “political.”
Al Jazeera - Tayab Ali, head of Khan’s legal team, stated that a judicial panel had “unanimously” determined that findings by the United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services “did not establish misconduct or breach of duty by Mr Khan under the relevant legal framework.”
Al Jazeera - The vote on Khan's removal occurred almost two years after the allegations first surfaced.
Al Jazeera - Following Khan’s removal, the ICC's prosecutor's office will now be headed by deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang.
Al Jazeera - Khan's removal will trigger the election process for a new ICC prosecutor, although a vote is not expected before next year.
ABC News - The vote to remove Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the ICC is taking place amid a scandal that has lasted for more than two years.
ABC News - A United Nations investigation report indicated that “multiple credible witnesses dismissed the notion that [the female staffer] was a spy.”
ABC News - Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen stated in a letter to Parliament that “the balance of power within the ASP is still evolving.”
ABC News - The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on key ICC staff, including Khan, as part of its campaign to destabilize the tribunal.
ABC News - The vote to remove Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the ICC is taking place amid allegations of sexual misconduct that he denies.
ABC News - A letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen indicated that “there was sufficient support to remove Khan.”
ABC News - The outcome of the vote is unclear, but the Netherlands and France have publicly stated they will vote for Khan's removal.
ABC News - The ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was formally removed from his duties in June after a report found he committed “serious misconduct.”
CNN - International Criminal Court member states voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct.
CNN - The vote to remove Khan was reported by diplomatic sources, indicating renewed scrutiny of the war crimes court by Washington.
ABC News - A group of Palestinian organizations accused the ICC's executive committee of “unwarranted political interference.”
ABC News - The International Federation for Human Rights and other organizations stated that the victim has been “publicly questioned, instrumentalized, and too readily dismissed as part of a political agenda.”
ABC News - A letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen indicated that “the position of most contracting parties also appears to be in line with the recommendation of the ASP Office.”
ABC News - A secret vote is scheduled regarding the permanent removal of Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the ICC.
ABC News - Khan has been accused of sexual misconduct with a female aide, allegations he denies.
ABC News - Khan was formally removed from his duties in June after a report found he committed “serious misconduct.”
ABC News - The Netherlands and France have publicly stated they will vote for Khan's removal.
ABC News - A letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen indicated there is sufficient support to remove Khan.
WHERE:
ABC News - The vote is taking place at United Nations headquarters in New York.
ABC News - The ICC is located in The Hague, Netherlands.
WHEN:
ABC News - The vote is scheduled for Friday.
WHY:
The Guardian - The state department's announcement that it wishes to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick” is now official US policy.
Al Jazeera - Ali added that Khan was removed “by an executive vote while under sanctions and while the Court is under immense political pressure.”
ABC News - The Trump administration's actions against the ICC are described as an attempt to dismantle the tribunal, which it views as a challenge to US sovereignty.
ABC News - The Trump administration's campaign to dismantle the ICC is described as an “existential crisis not just for the ICC but the very idea of international justice.”
The Guardian - The state department's announcement that it wishes to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick” is now official US policy, with the administration prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to do so.
ABC News - The Trump administration's campaign to dismantle the ICC is described as an “existential crisis not just for the ICC but the very idea of international justice.”
ABC News - The allegations against Khan have led to concerns about the damage inflicted on the ICC.
ABC News - The Trump administration has sanctioned key ICC staff, including Khan, and seeks to destabilize the tribunal.
HOW:
ABC News - A morning motion that would have made it harder to oust Khan failed, leading to a vote on removal several hours ahead of schedule.
ABC News - The vote requires a majority support from the 125 nations that make up the ICC's oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties.
The Guardian - The state department has promised “increased scrutiny of nations that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority while relying on US assistance,” particularly targeting countries that benefit from the US security umbrella.
ABC News - The U.S. State Department has promised “increased scrutiny of nations that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority while relying on US assistance.”
ABC News - The vote requires a majority support from the 125 nations that make up the ICC's oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties.
(UPDATED July 25, 2026 13:21 UTC)
In a historic decision, the Assembly of States Parties has removed Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, marking the first time a chief prosecutor has ever been ousted from office due to "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty." Following this development, deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang will take over the prosecutor's office, while the election process for a new chief prosecutor has been initiated, although a vote is not anticipated until next year. Khan plans to contest the decision, as his attorney Tayab Ali stated he intends to challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the removal through all available legal avenues.
--
(UPDATED July 25, 2026 12:13 UTC)
The Assembly of States Parties has voted to remove Khan from his position, with the decision described as having a large majority among the ICC's 125 member states. Following this, Venezuela announced its withdrawal from the ICC, citing a demonstrated geographical bias in the court's work. Meanwhile, Tayab Ali, head of Khan’s legal team, warned that the implications of this decision extend far beyond Khan's individual case.
--
(UPDATED July 25, 2026 02:49 UTC)
The Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court has voted to remove prosecutor Karim Khan amid sexual misconduct allegations, which his legal team claims are politically motivated. Tayab Ali, head of Khan’s legal team, noted that a judicial panel found no misconduct or breach of duty by Khan according to the relevant legal framework. Following this decision, the ICC's prosecutor's office will be led by deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameen Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang, and the process to elect a new prosecutor will begin, although a vote is not anticipated until next year.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 23:18 UTC)
The vote to remove Karim Khan from his role as chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is underway, following a scandal that has persisted for over two years. A United Nations investigation has found that multiple credible witnesses have dismissed claims that a female staffer was a spy, while Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen noted that the balance of power within the Assembly of States Parties is still evolving. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has imposed sanctions on key ICC staff, including Khan, as part of its broader effort to destabilize the tribunal, which it perceives as a challenge to U.S. sovereignty.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 20:21 UTC)
The vote to remove Karim Khan from his position as chief prosecutor of the ICC is underway amid allegations of sexual misconduct that he denies. A letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen has indicated that there is sufficient support to remove Khan, with both the Netherlands and France publicly stating their intention to vote for his removal. The outcome remains uncertain, as the vote requires a majority from the 125 nations that make up the ICC's oversight body, the Assembly of States Parties.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 19:29 UTC)
In a significant development, member states of the International Criminal Court have voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct, a decision that has drawn renewed scrutiny from Washington. The U.S. State Department has officially announced its intention to dismantle the ICC “brick by brick,” indicating a willingness to take extraordinary measures to achieve this goal. Furthermore, the State Department has pledged increased scrutiny of nations that do not reject the ICC's authority while still relying on U.S. assistance, particularly those benefiting from the U.S. security umbrella.
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 14:37 UTC)
A group of Palestinian organizations has accused the International Criminal Court's executive committee of engaging in “unwarranted political interference,” while the International Federation for Human Rights and others have expressed concerns that the victim has been “publicly questioned, instrumentalized, and too readily dismissed as part of a political agenda.” In response to these tensions, the U.S. State Department has pledged “increased scrutiny of nations that refuse to reject the ICC’s false authority while relying on US assistance.” Meanwhile, commentators like Lucy Gaynor and Kenneth Roth have highlighted the court's struggles, with Roth stating that Khan “clearly does not” have “the moral authority and credibility to continue serving as prosecutor.”
--
(UPDATED July 24, 2026 13:30 UTC)
A secret vote is set to take place at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday regarding the permanent removal of Karim Khan from his role as chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Khan, who has been accused of sexual misconduct with a female aide—a claim he denies—was formally removed from his duties in June after a report found he committed “serious misconduct,” with both the Netherlands and France publicly supporting his removal. The vote requires majority support from the 125 nations in the Assembly of States Parties, and a letter from Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen suggests there is sufficient backing for Khan's ousting.