ICC Assembly Formally Removes Prosecutor Karim Khan; Venezuela Announces Withdrawal
On Friday, July 24, 2026, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Assembly of States Parties voted by a large majority to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office.[1]
Assembly President Päivi Kaukoranta said the body found Khan committed "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty" over a sexual relationship with a female aide and efforts to block her from pursuing allegations.[2] A procedural motion from Sierra Leone that would have made removal harder failed early in the session, allowing diplomats to move several hours ahead of schedule to the vote.[1] Khan, 56, had been temporarily suspended in June pending the Assembly decision, and this is the first time a chief prosecutor has been ousted.[1]
The Assembly concluded he engaged in a sexual relationship with a female aide and tried to prevent her from pursuing complaints, findings Khan disputes.[2] U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week said the United States is launching a "sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court." NPR Hours after the removal vote, Venezuela said it would withdraw from the ICC, citing a "geographical bias" against African and Latin American countries; prosecutors had dropped an inquiry into U.S. sanctions on Venezuela but are continuing a separate probe into alleged crimes by Venezuelan security forces under Nicolás Maduro.[1]
The removal does not affect the 2024 ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which only judges can withdraw, and Israel's U.N. ambassador Danny Danon welcomed the outcome.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, July 24, 2026, the ICC’s 125 member states voted by a large majority in the Assembly of States Parties to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office.
- Assembly of States Parties President Päivi Kaukoranta announced the body found Khan committed “serious misconduct and serious breach of duty,” concluding he engaged in a sexual relationship with a female aide and tried to prevent her from pursuing allegations (findings Khan disputes).
- A procedural motion introduced by Sierra Leone that would have made it harder to oust Khan failed early in the July 24 session, allowing diplomats to move several hours ahead of schedule to the removal vote.
- The Assembly — comprising 125 member states — temporarily suspended Khan in June, and the July 24 vote marks the first time a chief prosecutor has been ousted (reporting noted Khan is 56).
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United States is launching a “sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court,” including pressuring states to withdraw, sanctioning organizations that work with the court, and barring ICC staff travel to the U.S.
- Hours after the removal vote, Venezuela announced it will withdraw from the ICC, citing a “geographical bias” against African and Latin American countries; prosecutors recently dropped an inquiry into U.S. sanctions on Venezuela but a separate probe into alleged crimes by Venezuelan security forces under Nicolás Maduro continues.
- The removal does not immediately affect the 2024 ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (those warrants can only be withdrawn by ICC judges), and Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon publicly welcomed the outcome, saying Khan was wrong to think the warrants would overshadow the misconduct allegations.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Friday, July 24, 2026, the ICC's 125 member states voted by a large majority to remove Karim Khan from office, marking the first time a chief prosecutor has been ousted.
- The Assembly of States Parties concluded that Khan committed 'serious misconduct and serious breach of duty' and that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a female aide and tried to prevent her from pursuing allegations, findings he disputes.
- A motion introduced by Sierra Leone that would have made it harder to remove Khan failed early in the session, after which diplomats moved several hours ahead of schedule to the removal vote.
- The Associated Press reporting specifies that the Assembly has 125 member states and that Khan, age 56, had been temporarily removed from his duties in June pending the vote.
- In a statement last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is launching a 'sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court,' including pressuring states to withdraw, sanctioning organizations that work with the court, and barring ICC staff travel to the U.S.
- On Friday, July 24, 2026, hours after the removal vote, Venezuela announced it will withdraw from the ICC, citing what it called a 'geographical bias' that disproportionately targets African and Latin American countries and harms the Global South.
- The article notes that earlier this year ICC prosecutors dropped an investigation into whether U.S. sanctions on Venezuela constituted crimes against humanity, while a separate probe into alleged crimes by Venezuelan security forces under Nicolás Maduro continues.
- The piece repeats that Trump's administration has imposed sanctions on Khan and other ICC staff over warrants targeting Israeli leaders and investigations of U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, and includes Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon’s statement that Khan was wrong to think warrants against Netanyahu would overshadow the misconduct allegations.
- On Friday, July 24, 2026, the ICC’s 125 member states voted 'by a large majority' in the Assembly of States Parties to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office, after he had been temporarily suspended in June.
- Assembly of States Parties President Päivi Kaukoranta announced that the body concluded Khan committed 'serious misconduct and serious breach of duty' based on a finding that he engaged in a sexual relationship with a female aide and tried to prevent her from pursuing allegations, which he disputes.
- A motion introduced by Sierra Leone that would have made it harder to oust Khan failed earlier in the July 24 session, allowing the removal vote to proceed several hours ahead of schedule.
- The article situates the removal amid an ongoing U.S. campaign against the ICC: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last week that the U.S. is launching a 'sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court,' including pressuring states to withdraw, sanctioning organizations that work with the court, and barring ICC staff travel to the U.S.
- Hours after the July 24 vote, Venezuela announced it will withdraw from the ICC, citing 'geographical bias' against African and Latin American countries; prosecutors recently dropped a sanctions-related inquiry on Venezuela but are continuing a separate probe into alleged crimes by Venezuelan security forces under former President Nicolás Maduro.
- Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon publicly welcomed the outcome, asserting that Khan thought warrants against Israeli leaders would overshadow the sexual misconduct allegations and saying 'he was wrong.'
- The piece notes that Khan’s removal does not immediately affect the 2024 ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, which can only be withdrawn by ICC judges.