International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Karim Khan has been removed through a vote by the Assembly of States Parties over allegations of sexual misconduct. The decision was reported on July 25, 2026, nearly two years after the allegations first became public. The 56-year-old British barrister had stepped aside from his duties in June, while member states later approved his removal.

Khan’s legal team said a United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services investigation found no evidence of misconduct or dereliction of duty, and said an independent judicial panel unanimously reached the same conclusion. Lawyer Tayab Ali called the process unfair and politically motivated. However, an oversight panel of the Assembly of States Parties had concluded that Khan committed “serious misconduct.” The woman identified only as Sarah alleged to CNN that Khan’s conduct became increasingly intimate and aggressive; Khan has consistently denied the allegations.

Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described the episode as part of a broader attack on the ICC. The removal has no immediate effect on arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, as only ICC judges can withdraw them. Deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang will jointly run Khan’s office pending a new election, which is unlikely before next year.