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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

ICC Votes to Dismiss Prosecutor Karim Khan Amid Misconduct Allegations

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • International Criminal Court members voted to dismiss Prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of sexual misconduct.
  • Khan, who denied the allegations, was accused of "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty" by the court's oversight body.
  • The dismissal comes amid efforts by the Trump administration to weaken the ICC, with all active warrants remaining in place.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has voted to dismiss its Prosecutor, Karim Khan, after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. The Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the court's oversight body, determined that Khan had committed "serious misconduct and serious breach of duty." Khan, a British barrister, has consistently denied the accusations made by a female aide.

Mr. Khan will challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision, though all available legal mechanisms.

— Tayab AliKhan's lawyer, stating his client's intention to contest the dismissal.

In a vote held on Friday, 82 out of the ICC's 125 member states supported Khan's removal, with 13 voting against and 15 abstaining. Khan, 56, had previously gained significant attention in 2024 for seeking arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in connection with the Gaza war, as well as against Hamas leaders. Despite his dismissal, all active ICC warrants will remain in effect, as only ICC judges have the authority to withdraw them.

Khan's lawyer, Tayab Ali, stated that Khan intends to challenge the decision through all available legal avenues, asserting its lawfulness and fairness. However, reactions from others were divided. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, supported the ASP's decision, calling it "the right thing" to do. Conversely, Israel's Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, criticized Khan, suggesting the arrest warrants against Israeli officials were a distraction from the misconduct allegations. Danon referred to the warrants as a "political witch hunt."

the ICC states did "the right thing" by removing Khan.

— Kenneth RothFormer executive director of Human Rights Watch, commenting on the decision.

The dismissal occurs at a time when the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is actively seeking to undermine the ICC. The State Department has initiated a campaign to "dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty," even considering visa revocations and travel bans for ICC personnel. The U.S. has urged countries receiving its security assistance to reject the ICC's jurisdiction over American officials and military personnel.

He was wrong.

— Danny DanonIsrael's Ambassador to the UN, referring to Khan's alleged belief that arrest warrants would distract from misconduct allegations.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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