ICC member states oust prosecutor Karim Khan in 82-43 vote
Why it matters: The removal opens a race for a new prosecutor as the court faces a US campaign to weaken it.
Member states of the International Criminal Court voted to remove chief prosecutor Karim Khan after misconduct findings tied to allegations of an improper sexual relationship with a junior staff member. Diplomatic sources told Reuters that 82 of the court’s 125 members backed his dismissal at a vote held at the United Nations in New York. Khan, a British barrister elected in 2021, has denied wrongdoing and said he would challenge the process as unlawful and unfair. The court’s oversight body had concluded in June that he committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty. His removal starts the process to elect a successor, though a new prosecutor is not expected before 2027. Existing ICC arrest warrants remain in force because only judges can withdraw them.