Karim Khan
Karim Khan is a British jurist who served as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2021 until his dismissal in July 2026. His tenure was marked by high-profile investigations into global conflicts, including the pursuit of arrest warrants against Israeli leadership, but concluded in a leadership crisis following an 18-month investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Karim Khan assumed office as the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in June 2021, succeeding Fatou Bensouda. A specialist in international criminal law, Khan initially signaled a focus on evidence-based pragmatism. However, his tenure became deeply controversial in Israel and the West due to his decision to seek arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, alongside leaders of the Hamas terror organization, in relation to the war in Gaza. This move was widely criticized by Israeli officials as a moral equivalence between a sovereign democracy and a terrorist group.
In mid-2026, Khan's leadership was derailed by internal allegations of sexual misconduct involving a subordinate female staff member. Following an 18-month investigation by the ICC's oversight body, which reportedly found merit in complaints of non-consensual sexual contact, the court's executive bureau formally suspended him in June 2026. The crisis culminated on Friday, July 24, 2026, when the ICC's 125 member states voted by a large majority to dismiss Khan from his post.
The dismissal has prompted calls from Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, to cancel the arrest warrants issued during Khan's term, arguing that the findings of misconduct reflect a broader moral bankruptcy within the prosecutor's office. Khan's removal marks the first time a Chief Prosecutor has been fired by member states, leaving the institution in a state of significant administrative and legal uncertainty.