ICC deputy says staff feel banking strain

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the deputy prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, stated that US sanctions are beginning to affect the daily operations of court staff. She confirmed that banking difficulties have emerged even though the official implementation date for the measures is not until six months from their announcement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on October 9. He described the ICC as a rogue court and issued a six-month grace period for the institution to negotiate a solution. The deputy prosecutor noted that some banks are over-complying with the new rules to minimize risk, which is creating friction for individual employees. Khan explained that while the sanctions target the institution, staff members are reporting direct difficulties with their financial accounts.

The court continues its investigation into the war in Gaza. Khan reported that significant progress has been made since the court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant in November 2024. No new charges regarding Gaza have been publicly announced since late 2024. Khan attributed this silence to a court ruling that requires all charges and warrant applications to remain secret until judges determine they can be made public.

The prosecutor’s office is actively working to reduce its dependence on US-based services to insulate itself from the sanctions. The court is switching its software from Microsoft to European alternatives and is negotiating with service providers regarding banking and health insurance. Khan stated that the court has not reduced its investigative capacity or output based on the sanctions. She added that all investigations across all situations continue as planned.

Khan, a Fijian national, was one of 13 ICC staff members targeted by US sanctions in February 2025. She described the inconvenience of navigating travel and daily life without access to a credit card. She contrasted this administrative hurdle with the needs of victims in refugee camps and mass atrocity sites, noting that those individuals are primarily seeking justice. The court's registrar is currently negotiating with the European Union to find ways to block the sanctions or protect the court.

The European Parliament awarded the Sakharov prize for freedom of thought to the ICC and its officials on Thursday. Khan viewed this recognition as an important message to the staff. She stated that the high level of attention on the court reflects its relevance to victims who seek legal avenues for justice outside of political processes. The court is also dealing with internal changes, as former chief prosecutor Karim Khan was removed in July following a vote by member states after formal investigations into sexual harassment allegations began in late November 2024.

Rubio recently claimed that globalist experts wanted the ICC to prosecute US citizens, though he provided no specific evidence. Khan responded that the court has not brought any Americans before it. She noted that if the reference was to the Afghanistan situation, the current priority is addressing offenses committed by the Taliban and the Islamic State Khorasan against women, girls, and other vulnerable groups. The court's pretrial chamber unsealed four arrest warrants against Taliban members on charges of gender persecution this month.