ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan faces removal vote amid misconduct allegations

The 125 member states of the International Criminal Court will meet at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday to vote on whether to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan. Khan, a British barrister who has served since 2021, was suspended in June 2025 after an internal investigation found he engaged in a “serious breach of duty and serious misconduct” involving a junior staff member, a Malaysian lawyer identified only as Sarah. She told CNN, “There is no way for something to be consensual when you have such a power disparity.” Khan denies any wrongdoing and his lawyers describe the pending vote as procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence.

The vote requires an absolute majority of at least 63 states. France has announced it will support removal, and the Netherlands – the court’s host state – has publicly pledged to vote for Khan’s ouster. The United States has imposed sanctions on Khan and other ICC judges, branding the court a threat to U.S. sovereignty. If Khan is removed, observers warn the ICC’s credibility could suffer further, especially after the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli leaders in 2024. The secret ballot is expected to be tallied around 5:30 GMT.