ICC Deputy Prosecutor Reports Staff Banking Strains as US Sanctions Approach

The United States announced new sanctions against the International Criminal Court on 9 October, initiating a six month grace period for negotiations. While the formal enforcement date has not yet arrived, Nazhat Shameem Khan, the court's deputy prosecutor, reported that staff members are already experiencing friction in their financial dealings.

Khan, who is co running the prosecutor's office pending the appointment of a new chief prosecutor, said that some employees face difficulties with banking. She attributed these issues to institutions over complying to minimize risk while the full scope of the measures remains unclear. Khan noted that although the sanctions target the institution in principle, individual members are feeling the impact directly.

The sanctions were declared by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who labeled the court a rogue court. He stated that either the ICC would end its threats or Washington would end the ICC. Rubio gave the court until April 2027 to present a solution to address US concerns, though the specific criteria for satisfaction remain undefined.

Despite these external pressures, Khan affirmed that the court's operations have not been reduced. She said that investigations across all situations, including the probe into the Gaza war, are continuing. No new charges regarding Gaza have been announced since late 2024, a pause Khan explained is due to a ruling earlier this year that all warrant applications must remain secret until judges authorize their release.

The court is taking steps to insulate itself from the hostile administration in Washington. It is switching from Microsoft software to European alternatives and negotiating with service providers for banking and health insurance. Khan acknowledged that while current output remains stable, it is impossible to anticipate the full impact once the measures officially take effect in six months.

Khan is personally familiar with the constraints, having been among 13 ICC staff targeted by US sanctions in February 2025. She described life without a credit card as inconvenient, particularly for travel, but noted that the situation is different for the victims the court serves. The European Parliament awarded the Sakharov prize for freedom of thought to the court and its officials on Thursday, a move Khan called a vital message of support.

Formal investigations also began in late November 2024 into allegations of sexual harassment against former chief prosecutor Karim Khan. The British jurist, who is not related to the deputy prosecutor, denied the charges and was removed by a vote of member states in July 2026. The court's registrar is currently negotiating with the European Union to block the sanctions or protect the court through other means.