ICC fires former Ruto lawyer Karim Khan over sexual misconduct findings

President William Ruto’s former lawyer, Karim Khan, has been removed from his position as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) after member states found him guilty of serious misconduct linked to sexual misconduct allegations.

The decision was approved by the ICC Assembly of States Parties (ASP), with 82 of the 125 member states voting in favour of his removal following a disciplinary process that examined allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a junior staff member.

Announcing the outcome on Friday, ASP President Päivi Kaukoranta said the Assembly had determined that Khan had committed "serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty" and voted to remove him from office under Article 46(2)(b) of the Rome Statute.

Statement of the #ASP President following the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings involving Prosecutor Karim Khan #ICC pic.twitter.com/xFt09wN1xN

— Paivi Kaukoranta (@PASPKaukoranta) July 24, 2026

"The assembly has decided by a majority of 82 states parties that the elected official, Prosecutor Karim Khan, committed serious misconduct and a serious breach of duty ... and to remove the elected official, Prosecutor Karim Khan, from office under Article 46 paragraph 2B of the Rome Statute," Kaukoranta said.

Khan, who assumed office as ICC Chief Prosecutor in 2021, had earlier stepped aside from handling Kenya-related cases because of his previous role as legal counsel for President William Ruto.

His removal follows an earlier suspension as the ICC considered the findings and recommendations of the investigation into the allegations.

Before joining the ICC, Khan led Ruto's legal defence during the International Criminal Court proceedings stemming from Kenya's 2007-08 post-election violence.

The case against Ruto and journalist Joshua Sang was terminated in 2016 after judges ruled that the prosecution had failed to present sufficient evidence to sustain a conviction.

Elected in February 2021 to serve a nine-year term, Khan drew global attention in May 2024 after seeking arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and several Hamas leaders.

Following the issuance of the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the United States imposed sanctions on Khan.

According to the BBC, Khan maintained that the allegations against him, which emerged in 2024, were retaliatory and linked to his work at the ICC. However, the Assembly's decision was based on the findings of misconduct reached through the disciplinary process.

The ICC is now expected to begin the process of filling the leadership vacuum created by the departure of its chief prosecutor.