July 4, 2026- Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from his position following allegations of sexual misconduct. The decision marks the first time in the court’s history that an ICC chief prosecutor has been removed from office.
According to reports, 82 of the ICC’s 125 member states voted in favor of Khan’s dismissal. Khan has consistently denied the allegations, while his legal team has argued that the process was unfair and unsupported by sufficient evidence.
Khan became widely known in 2024 after requesting arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the war in Gaza. Those arrest warrants remain in effect, as they were issued by ICC judges and are not affected by the removal of the prosecutor.
The ICC is expected to begin the process of selecting a new chief prosecutor in the coming months.
-Kevin Shakil
Photo: International Criminal Court (ICC).