ICC staff face banking hurdles as US sanctions take effect

The International Criminal Court is navigating a new wave of financial pressure from the United States, a development that is already causing practical headaches for its employees. While the full legal weight of the new measures has not yet landed, staff members are reporting difficulties with basic banking services. The court maintains that its core mission to investigate war crimes remains on track, though the administrative burden is growing.

The timeline of this tension dates back to earlier this year. In February 2025, the United States targeted thirteen court staff with its first round of sanctions. Then, on October 9, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a broader set of penalties. He described the court as a rogue institution and declared that it must end its threats or face consequences. Rubio offered a six month grace period for the court to negotiate a solution, although the specific requirements from Washington remain unclear.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the deputy prosecutor who is currently co running the office, says the internal work has not stalled. She notes that the investigation into the war in Gaza and other cases have made significant progress since arrest warrants were issued in November 2024. These warrants targeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Galant. Khan explains that the lack of new public announcements is due to a recent court ruling that requires all charges and warrant applications to remain secret until judges decide they can be made public.

Khan acknowledged that while the official sanctions are not due to take effect for another six months, the financial sector is reacting early. She described banks as over complying to minimize their own risk while the scope of the measures is uncertain. Although the sanctions are imposed on the institution in principle, individual staff members are feeling the impact. Khan heard reports that some employees are experiencing difficulties with their accounts, a situation that complicates daily operations and travel.

To insulate itself from the hostile administration in Washington, the court is making technical and logistical shifts. It is moving its software away from Microsoft products toward European alternatives. The institution is also negotiating with service providers regarding banking and health insurance. Khan stated that no decision has been made to reduce capability or output based on the sanctions, even as she admits it is hard to predict the full impact once the measures officially begin.

The deputy prosecutor has personal experience with these restrictions, having been one of the original thirteen staff targeted in early 2025. She noted that life without a credit card is inconvenient, especially for travel. However, she finds perspective by visiting refugee camps and sites of mass atrocities. There, she sees victims for whom financial sanctions are irrelevant, as they simply want justice. This direct contact keeps the team focused on the ultimate goal of the court.

The political pressure is not the only challenge facing the office. Formal investigations into allegations of sexual harassment against the former chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, began in late 2024. The British jurist denied the charges and was removed from his post in July following a vote by member states. This internal transition adds to the workload for the current leadership team as they manage ongoing cases.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently claimed without evidence that globalist experts an ocean away wanted the court to prosecute US citizens. Khan said it was unclear what he meant, noting that no Americans have been brought before the court. She added that if the reference was to the situation in Afghanistan, the priority there involves offenses committed against women and vulnerable groups by the Taliban and Islamic State Khorasan. This month, the court unsealed four arrest warrants against Taliban members on charges of gender persecution.

Support for the court is growing in Europe. The registrar is negotiating with the European Union over ways to block the sanctions or protect the institution. On Thursday, the European Parliament awarded the court and its officials its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Khan called this backing a very important message for the staff. She believes the intense attention reflects the relevance of the court, providing an avenue of justice for victims who have nowhere else to go and want their voices heard.