Karim Khan, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, was removed from office on Friday after a vote by the Assembly of States Parties, the court's 125-member governing body. The decision followed disciplinary proceedings tied to allegations of sexual misconduct involving a junior female staffer. Khan has denied wrongdoing, and his legal team called the removal process legally flawed and politically driven.
Khan became a controversial figure after pursuing ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the Gaza war. The warrants, issued in November 2024, drew condemnation from Israel and the United States. Israeli officials argued that Khan's removal undermines the legitimacy of the ICC's actions against Netanyahu, while Khan's lawyers said he will challenge the decision through all available legal mechanisms.