The US has imposed new sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, accusing them of targeting Americans and Israelis in investigations. The move was immediately denounced by the ICC and the UN, while Israel welcomed it.
The sanctions target ICC judges Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, as well as prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. The US claims they engaged in efforts to investigate nationals of the US or Israel without consent.
The latest penalties follow a series of steps taken by the Trump administration against the ICC, which is not a member of the court but has already imposed penalties on its former chief prosecutor and several judges. The sanctions freeze assets held by the targets in US jurisdictions.
France, a key ally of the US, expressed “dismay” over the action, saying it was “in contradiction to the principle of an independent judiciary”. The ICC called the sanctions a “flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution”.
The move has been welcomed by Israel’s Netanyahu, who sees it as a measure to counter what he calls a “mendacious smear campaign” against his country. However, critics argue that the escalation in US sanctions amounts to an attempt to intimidate those pursuing accountability for atrocity crimes.
The ICC’s independence and ability to investigate war crimes are under scrutiny, with some countries defending the court’s rights and others allowing external pressure to influence its decisions.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/20/trump-rubio-international-criminal-court-sanctions