Report: ICC deputy prosecutor says court has insulated itself against US sanctions

The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Nazhat Shameem Khan, claims that the court has taken steps to protect itself from potential sanctions imposed by the United States. Khan told the Financial Times, "The law must prevail over power." She emphasized that the US President, Donald Trump, had expressed concerns about the ICC during his recent appearance at the UN General Assembly, labeling it as "out of control" and an "evil group of people" and urging member states to withdraw their support immediately.

Trump's criticisms have escalated during his second term, particularly after the ICC issued an arrest warrant in 2024 against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Khan stated, "I'm not waiting. I think the lesson in resilience, this lesson in dedication, in maintaining the work of the court, that's now. That's something we must do now."

To address the threat of sanctions, the court has implemented significant changes. Khan explained that the institution has transitioned its office software from Microsoft to Germany's openDesk, and has found creative solutions to mitigate issues related to banking and health insurance. Additionally, the court is paying its employees months in advance to avoid any disruptions to payroll.

The tribunal refrained from disclosing the specifics of these workarounds for fear that divulging them could compromise their effectiveness.

Furthermore, Khan highlighted that a considerable portion of the court's processes relied heavily on US technology systems as recently as last year, with over 90 percent of these processes dependent on such systems. While acknowledging that improvements are still ongoing, Khan affirmed that the court has made significant progress in reducing the impact of potential US restrictions.