The International Criminal Court's member states voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan by a large majority on Friday evening, following an internal probe into accusations of sexual misconduct toward a female assistant, according to Asaf Rozentzweig (N12).
The International Criminal Court's member states voted to dismiss chief prosecutor Karim Khan by a large majority on Friday evening, Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) reported. The vote, which required a 63-vote majority, saw 82 countries in favor — a figure confirmed by multiple reports including Reuters. The dismissal came after an internal investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
The thread of reports on Friday evening (20:31 Jerusalem time) began with initial confirmation of the vote, then quickly added details: the exact vote tally (82 for, 13 against, 12-15 abstentions), the reaction of Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon who welcomed the decision, and the clarification that the arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain in effect — with Israel expected to petition for their cancellation. An unverified online claim that Khan's replacement is a 'more extreme Muslim woman' has not been independently confirmed.
As The Zioneer reported, Khan was suspended in June following an 18-month investigation by the ICC's executive board, which found he engaged in non-consensual sexual contact with a staff member. The board recommended his removal, requiring a 63-vote majority. In addition, the UK's Solicitors Regulation Authority suspended Khan pending a separate sexual assault probe. The dismissal is final and cannot be appealed.
The identity of Khan's successor remains unconfirmed, with the online claim yet to be verified. The impact on the court's work, including the arrest warrants for Israeli officials, remains to be seen.
6 developments
- StrongReuters: ICC executive board recommends removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan after misconduct probe
- ConfirmedICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan suspended after sexual misconduct inquiry
- StrongICC to vote next month on removing chief prosecutor Karim Khan
- DevelopingUK solicitors' watchdog suspends ICC prosecutor Karim Khan pending sexual assault probe
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