Khan’s removal from post of ICC prosecutor ensured by European countries — source

What the report says

The Independent Uganda, carrying a TASS report from The Hague, said an unnamed diplomatic source attributed the removal of Karim Khan as prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to backing from European states and the court’s largest donor countries. The source claimed their support was decisive in securing enough votes during a special session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute.

According to the report, the meeting on Khan’s case was marked by tension, and the decision was not linked solely to sexual harassment allegations against him. The source also cited a wider loss of confidence in Khan’s leadership. The article says the Assembly voted on July 24 to dismiss him, with 82 of the ICC’s 125 member countries supporting removal.

The ICC prosecutor is responsible for leading investigations and prosecutions of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression where the court has jurisdiction. The Assembly of States Parties, made up of countries that have joined the Rome Statute, oversees key governance issues for the court, including leadership and budget matters.

The report matters because the prosecutor’s office is central to the ICC’s independence and credibility, and donor-state influence over a leadership decision would draw scrutiny from governments, legal observers and civil society. The Independent Uganda article does not include comments from Khan, ICC officials, European governments or the alleged complainants, and the claims about the role of donor countries are attributed to a single diplomatic source cited by TASS.