The International Criminal Court (ICC) voted on Friday to oust its chief prosecutor Karim Khan for “serious misconduct and gross negligence”, nearly two years after sexual misconduct allegations first surfaced. The decision comes as the Hague court faces growing pressure from the United States, which has stepped up its crackdown on the agency.At a meeting of the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, the ICC’s 125 member states voted overwhelmingly to remove Khan. British barrister Khan has always denied the accusations against him.The move was welcomed by the United States, which has recently escalated its criticism of the ICC. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a “campaign to completely eliminate the threat to U.S. sovereignty posed by the International Criminal Court.”
Why was Khan removed?
The 56-year-old prosecutor is accused of sexual misconduct involving a female aide. Khan allegedly had a sexual relationship with the staffer and later tried to prevent her from pursuing the allegations, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press. Khan has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.Announcing the decision, the Assembly of States Parties said Khan was removed from office for “serious misconduct and gross dereliction of duty.”Human Rights Watch welcomed the decision, saying courts must uphold the highest standards of accountability.“The ICC should be held to the highest standards. This includes ensuring workplaces are safe and providing effective and credible mechanisms for staff or others who experience abuse, including sexual violence or harassment,” Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, told The Associated Press.Khan’s legal team criticized the process, arguing he was not given a fair chance to defend himself before member states voted.Attorney Tayyab Ali said Khan’s “decision to be removed from office followed a process in which he was never given a fair opportunity to be heard and ignored the conclusions of an independent judge who reviewed the full record of evidence.”He added that Khan’s lawyers would challenge the decision “through all available legal mechanisms”. Parliament will now begin the process of electing a new chief prosecutor.
U.S. steps up efforts to crack down on International Criminal Court
Khan’s removal comes as the Trump administration intensifies its confrontation with the International Criminal Court. U.S. Secretary of State Rubio said in a statement last week that Washington would pressure countries to withdraw from the ICC, sanction organizations that cooperate with it and impose travel bans on ICC officials.“The United States is launching a ‘comprehensive campaign to eliminate the threat to U.S. sovereignty posed by the International Criminal Court,'” Rubio said.The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on 13 ICC officials, including Khan, after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yove Galante over the Gaza war. The ICC has also investigated alleged crimes involving US military personnel in Afghanistan.
