Member states of the International Criminal Court on Friday voted to dismiss Karim Khan as prosecutor over allegations of sexual misconduct.
The ICC said 82 of the its 125 member states voted in favour of his removal. Mr Khan denies the allegations.
Mr Khan's defenders had sought to portray the vote as procedurally flawed and heavily politicised amid pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration. Washington imposed sanctions against the British prosecutor after his decision in November 2024 to seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant.
"No one can act with impunity," Mr Khan said in a video announcing the warrants, issued for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. The warrants, which ICC judges confirmed later that year, were opposed not only by Israel and the US, but also some ICC member states, including Italy and Hungary.
Washington has since imposed sanctions on 11 court officials, including Mr Khan, and on several non-governmental organisations working with the court on the Gaza case.
Amid the pressure on the court and Mr Khan, it was reported in October 2024 that a junior lawyer had accused him of sexual misconduct. He was suspended in June.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott described Mr Khan as an example of ICC "corruption". Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the Trump administration will demolish the court "brick by brick".
The US is not a member of the ICC and has long rejected the court's jurisdiction over American citizens.
In a message published on X on Tuesday, Mr Khan's lawyer, Tayab Ali, said his client had been barred from attending the voting session.
“What we are witnessing is the powerful few, disappointed by the impartiality of the judges they appointed, now seeking to shape the process that they hope will deliver the desired outcome,” Mr Ali said.
