Members of the International Criminal Court have voted to dismiss its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, following findings of serious misconduct linked to alleged sexual misconduct and abuse of authority. Khan denies the allegations, while his lawyers say the process was unlawful and unsupported by evidence. The case matters because it intensifies scrutiny of the ICC at a time when the court faces political pressure and questions over its ability to pursue major war-crimes cases.

The dismissal passed by 82 votes after the ICC’s oversight body found that Khan had an improper sexual relationship with a junior staff member and tried to prevent her complaint progressing. A UN investigation ran from November 2024 to December 2025 and produced more than 5,000 pages of evidence and testimony; Khan had been suspended since the previous month and on voluntary leave since May 2025. He was also unable to attend the New York vote because US sanctions, imposed after he sought warrants against Israeli officials over Gaza, bar him from entering the country.