Karim Khan Dismissed as ICC Chief Prosecutor, Venezuela Withdraws from Court

The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Khan, has been removed from office following a decisive vote by the General Assembly, which comprises 125 member states. The decision came in response to allegations of sexual assault by a member of his staff, accusations he has categorically denied.

According to data from diplomatic sources, 82 of the 125 member states supported the dismissal of the 56-year-old British jurist. However, Khan and his defense call the entire mechanism unlawful, arguing that the process was procedurally biased and unfounded in fact.

The decision to dismiss him coincides with a new diplomatic offensive by the United States aimed at dismantling the ICC, which Washington views as a threat to its sovereignty. Last month, the court’s oversight body found that Khan had an “unacceptable relationship” with a young female lawyer and recommended his removal, which was subsequently approved by member states at United Nations headquarters.

Simultaneously, the U.S., which is not a member of the ICC, has imposed sanctions on 11 judges and prosecutors, including Khan himself. The reason for the sanctions relates to the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as past investigations into U.S. military operations in Afghanistan. During a visit to the Philippines, Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the court’s officials “crazy” and promised that no American politician or soldier would appear before this institution.

Khan’s accuser publicly came forward for the first time last week in an interview with CNN, where she reiterated that she had experienced a sexual relationship without her consent. With this chapter closed, the search has begun for Khan’s successor as head of the ICC prosecution, but the new appointment is not expected to be finalized before next year.

Nevertheless, arrest warrants signed during Khan’s tenure remain valid, as only ICC judges have the authority to annul them. In a parallel development, Venezuela has formally communicated to the UN its “irreversible” decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia argued this step by accusing the court of “geographic bias,” claiming that it primarily targets nations of the Global South, particularly those in Africa and Latin America.