Doch Richter des Gerichtshofes stellten nach Darstellung von Khans Verteidiger fest, dass „kein Fehlverhalten oder eine Pflichtverletzung“ nachgewiesen worden sei.
Vor dem Hintergrund dieser Affäre hatte die US-Regierung kürzlich ihre Attacken gegen das Gericht noch verstärkt. Die USA verhängten bereits Sanktionen gegen Richter und Mitarbeiter. Die USA und Israel gehören dem Gericht nicht an.
(July 20, 2026)
Over the past year, he has submitted four expert‘s opinions commissioned by Khan‘s legal team to the 21-member bureau of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), criticising the manner in which the investigation into misconduct allegations facing the prosecutor was conducted, and the subsequent handling of the process by the bureau.
In his latest submission on 28 June, obtained by Middle East Eye through independent sources, Swanson denounced the 8 June decision by the bureau, which suspended the prosecutor after concluding by a majority that he committed “serious misconduct”.
The bureau’s decision departed from the unanimous conclusion of a panel of three judges it appointed, which in March concluded that the facts presented in the UN investigation „do not establish misconduct or breach of duty under the relevant framework“.
“The Assembly has decided by a majority of 82 States Parties that…prosecutor Karim Kahn committed serious conduct and a serious breach of duty…and to remove [him] from office,” the Assembly president announced, calling for the dignity and privacy of all those involved.
Assembly of States President Päivi Kaukoranta said 82 of the court’s 125 member states voted in favor of the prosecutor’s removal, concluding that Khan “committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty.”
The vote will take place during a special session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the ICC‘s governing body, at UN headquarters in New York.
The 125 member states will decide by secret ballot, with an absolute majority of at least 63 votes required to remove Khan from office.
In May 2024, Khan’s office requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leaders over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the Gaza war.
The ICC later issued warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. The move drew fierce condemnation from Israel and the US, culminating in US sanctions targeting several ICC officials, including Khan.
Member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) are set to gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Friday for a controversial vote which could see the court‘s chief prosecutor Karim Khan dismissed from his job over alleged misconduct claims.
It will be the first time in the ICC‘s 24-year history that member states have been asked to decide whether to remove a sitting chief prosecutor from office.
The Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the court’s governing body that is made up of its 125 members, will vote by secret ballot requiring an absolute majority of 63 states to remove the prosecutor.
Khan’s lawyers said they have been denied accreditation to attend Friday’s session and to mount a defence prior to the vote. They added that the president of the ASP “has closed every formal channel” through which they can address the assembly, and has asked all state parties not to meet with the legal team.