WorldSupporters of the International Criminal Court work to chart a course forward a day after the global institution was plunged into uncharted territory following the ouster Friday of its chief prosecutor over sexual misconduct allegations.Ouster comes at an already difficult time for the international tribunalThe Associated Press · Posted: Jul 25, 2026 10:21 AM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan, seen in January 2025, was ousted on Friday over allegations of sexual misconduct. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)Supporters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) were working to chart a course forward on Saturday, a day after the global institution was plunged into uncharted territory following the ouster of its chief prosecutor over allegations of sexual misconduct.A lengthy and bruising process ended swiftly and decisively on Friday, when a large majority of the court's 125 member states voted to remove Karim Khan from his post.The British barrister was accused of sexual misconduct with a female aide, as outlined by The Associated Press in a series of stories, allegations he has steadfastly denied. According to documents seen by the AP, Khan engaged in a sexual relationship with the woman and tried to prevent her from pursuing her allegations.The Trump administration sanctioned ICC judges. A Canadian judge is fighting backKhan's removal comes at a time when the court is already facing daunting challenges, including a campaign by the United States to "dismantle" the ICC, which was established to prosecute people responsible for humanity's worst crimes.Court's supporters are looking forwardSeveral countries where the ICC has open investigations met together on the sidelines of the event Friday to discuss the ways out of any potential impasses created by Khan's removal, according to three senior diplomatic officials familiar with the discussions.One of the officials said a number of states began planning for how to move forward before the final votes were tallied."Whether Khan is removed or not, we must bring everyone back together," the official said. They all spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.WATCH | Trouble at the court:Why the ICC is in the fight of its life with TrumpAugust 29, 2025|Duration 25:56U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on four International Criminal Court judges. Anand Ram examines the complicated relationship between the U.S. and the ICC. Then, why the West remains skeptical of Iran's uranium enrichment program.A special session at UN headquarters in New York was scheduled to take all of Friday. Instead, a morning motion that would have made it harder to oust Khan failed and diplomats quickly moved forward to vote on removal, several hours ahead of schedule, according to three diplomats familiar with the proceedings.Iva Vukusic, a researcher at Utrecht University who has been following the process, said she was surprised by how decisive it was. "The numbers indicate that there is more agreement than previously thought," she told the AP.Khan's ouster comes at difficult timeThe decision comes at a time when the global tribunal is under enormous pressure.U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced last week that Washington was launching a "sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty."Hours after Friday's vote, Venezuela announced it would withdraw from the court, saying its work reflects a "demonstrated geographical bias." Foreign Affairs Minister Felix Plasencia made the announcement in a statement.NYC Mayor Mamdani calls Israel's Netanyahu a 'war criminal' but admits he can't act on ICC arrest warrantGunshots in Philippine Senate as politician wanted by ICC urges people to mobilizeTrump's administration already has brought sanctions against Khan and a dozen other ICC staff in retaliation for investigations into Israeli officials in Gaza and U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.The allegations became entwined with the court's investigation into the war in Gaza, with Khan's supporters arguing that the warrants the court has issued for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were at stake.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends an Israeli parliament session July 16 before the start of the election recess ahead of the country's general election in October. (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP/Getty Images)Palestinian representatives were quick to push back on that narrative. "The vote by the Assembly of States Parties to remove the prosecutor was not a political proxy vote on any situation before the ICC," Palestinian Ambassador to the Netherlands Ammar Hijazi said in a statement.Khan's removal will have no immediate impact on the arrest warrants, which can only be withdrawn by ICC judges.Work of the court will continueKhan's two deputy prosecutors have helmed the office since he stepped down in May 2025. In a statement, the office of the prosecutor said the pair will continue with its "leadership, management and administration," until a new chief is selected.It is not clear yet when member states will be able to decide on Khan's replacement. His election in 2021 took nearly 18 months and drew criticism from civil society groups over the lack of stringent background checks on the candidates to ensure they met the requirement of "high moral character."WATCH | More on ICC arrest warrants:Indiana University professor David Bosco on the efficacy of International Criminal Court warrantsNovember 24, 2024|Duration 9:05Get the latest on CBCNews.ca, the CBC News App, and CBC News Network for breaking news and analysisThe removal vote may not be the end of the process for Khan. He intends to "challenge the lawfulness and fairness of the decision through all available legal mechanisms," lawyer Tayab Ali said in a statement.There is no appeals process for his removal, but all ICC staff are entitled to bring complaints to a special labour tribunal based in Geneva.Khan's lawyers criticized the process leading to his ouster, complaining that he was blocked from addressing the session Friday and arguing the regulations had been rewritten to disadvantage him.On Monday, lawyers and investigators will return to the court's headquarters in The Hague with at least some clarity about the future. "I hope now the court can move on and focus on its core work of dealing with cases," Vukusic said.