ICC Deputy Prosecutor: Staff Feel Banking Strain Amid US Sanctions

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the deputy prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, reported that staff are already facing financial difficulties ahead of the official start of new US sanctions. She stated that the measures, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 9, are causing immediate friction for employees, even though the formal six-month grace period has not yet elapsed.

Rubio labeled the ICC a 'rogue court' and declared, 'Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC.' He granted the institution six months to negotiate a solution to US concerns. Khan, who is currently co-running the prosecutor's office, said the court has not reduced its capabilities based on these new sanctions. She confirmed that all investigations across different situations continue as planned.

The banking issues stem from banks adopting a cautious approach while the scope of the sanctions remains unclear. Khan described the banks as 'over-complying' to minimize risk. She noted that while the sanctions target the institution, individual members should not be directly impacted in principle, but staff are reporting real-world problems with their accounts. The court is currently negotiating with service providers to secure banking and health insurance arrangements.

Khan emphasized that the investigation into the Gaza war has made progress since the issuance of arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Galant. She explained that the lack of new public charges is due to a court ruling earlier this year that all warrant applications must remain secret until judges approve their release. 'Even if we reach a stage of the investigations where it might be imminent, we may not discuss it publicly,' she said.

The prosecutor's office is also insulating itself from the hostile administration in Washington by switching its software from Microsoft to European alternatives. Khan, who was among 13 ICC staff targeted by US sanctions in February 2025, acknowledged the inconvenience of life without a credit card. She said the experience put the difficulty into perspective when visiting refugee camps, noting that victims 'just want justice.'

Separate from the US sanctions, the court is managing internal challenges. Formal investigations into sexual harassment allegations against former chief prosecutor Karim Khan began in late November 2024. The British jurist, who is no relation to the deputy prosecutor, was removed in July following a vote by member states. Khan responded to Rubio's claim that 'globalist experts' wanted to prosecute US citizens by stating, 'we certainly haven't brought any Americans before the court.'

The European Parliament awarded the ICC and its officials the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought this month. The ICC registrar is currently negotiating with the EU to block the sanctions or protect the court in other ways. Khan called the prize 'a very important message that the staff at the court need to hear,' adding that the attention reflects the court's relevance to victims seeking justice.