Six-Month Grace Period: ICC Deputy Prosecutor Says Staff Feel US Sanctions

The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has confirmed that staff members are already experiencing financial friction from new United States sanctions, despite a six-month buffer period that has not yet expired.

Nazhat Shameem Khan, who is currently co-running the prosecutor's office, told The Guardian that individual employees are facing banking hurdles. She explained that financial institutions are "over-complying" to minimize their own risk while the full scope of the US measures remains uncertain. The sanctions were announced on 9 October by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who gave the court until April 2027 to negotiate a solution to Washington's concerns.

Rubio previously described the ICC as a "rogue court" and declared that either the institution would end its threats or the US would end the institution. Khan noted that in principle, the sanctions target the court as an entity, not its individual members. However, she acknowledged that her team is reporting difficulties accessing financial services during this interim period.

Khan asserted that the court's caseload has not been reduced by the pressure from Washington. She said that all investigations across every situation continue at full capacity. Specifically regarding the Gaza war probe, she stated that work has made "significant progress" since arrest warrants were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant in November 2024.

The deputy prosecutor explained that no new charges have been publicly announced since late 2024 because the court ruled earlier this year that all warrant applications must remain secret until judges approve their disclosure. Khan said this secrecy rule can create an appearance of stagnation, but she insisted that internal work is advancing. "Even if we reach a stage of the investigations where it might be imminent, we may not discuss it publicly," she said.

The court is actively working to reduce its dependence on American technology and services. It has switched its software from Microsoft to European alternatives and is negotiating new contracts for banking and health insurance. Khan, who was among 13 ICC staff members targeted by the US in February 2025, described life without a credit card as inconvenient but manageable compared to the plight of the victims the court serves.

The ICC is also navigating internal changes, having removed former chief prosecutor Karim Khan in July following a vote by member states. Meanwhile, the court's registrar is negotiating with the European Union to block the sanctions or protect the institution through other means. This week, the European Parliament awarded the ICC its Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, a move Khan called an important message of support for the staff.

Regarding Rubio's claim that "globalist experts" want to prosecute US citizens, Khan said no Americans have been brought before the court. She noted that in the Afghanistan investigation, the current priority is prosecuting gender persecution by the Taliban and Islamic State Khorasan. In October, the court's pretrial chamber unsealed four arrest warrants against Taliban members on these charges.