Washington escalates fight against ICC with sanctions on four key officials

The United States has intensified its confrontation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by imposing sanctions on four additional court officials involved in investigations related to alleged war crimes by Israel and the United States.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the designation of Kimberly Prost of Canada, Nicolas Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. The sanctions target these officials for their roles in ICC efforts “to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either nation,” Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

These punitive measures are authorized under an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in February 2020, which permits sanctions and visa restrictions against ICC personnel due to the court’s “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.” The order had previously been used to sanction ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan and four judges.

According to a State Department fact sheet, Judge Kimberly Prost “is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICC’s investigation into US personnel in Afghanistan.” Meanwhile, Judge Nicolas Guillou “is being designated for ruling to authorize the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defence Yoav Gallant.”

Deputy Prosecutors Shameem Khan and Niang were also sanctioned for their continued support of ICC actions against Israel. The fact sheet states they were targeted for “continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel, including upholding the ICC’s arrest warrants targeting Prime Minister Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Gallant since they assumed leadership for the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor.”

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant in November 2024, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Trump administration’s aggressive stance against the ICC began in 2020 after the court authorized investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan by US and Afghan forces, alongside crimes committed by the Taliban.

By Vafa Guliyeva