The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) officials for alleged actions targeting American and Israeli nationals. The State Department announced the measures, citing President Donald Trump’s executive order as justification. Among those sanctioned are ICC Judge Kimberly Prost (Canada), Judge Nicolas Yann Guillou (France), and Deputy Prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan (Fiji) and Mame Mandiaye Niang (Senegal). The sanctions, which include freezing U.S. assets and restricting transactions, aim to hold these individuals accountable for the ICC’s actions against U.S. and Israeli citizens. The ICC condemned the sanctions as an attack on the court’s independence.
The sanctions are part of a broader effort by the U.S. administration to counter what it perceives as illegitimate ICC actions against American and Israeli interests. The State Department’s statement highlighted the role of each individual in authorizing investigations or arrest warrants against U.S. personnel or Israeli officials, including former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. These actions have drawn criticism from the ICC, which called the sanctions a ‘flagrant attack’ on the court’s independence and an affront to the international order. The ICC’s public statement emphasized its commitment to impartiality and the rule of law, while condemning the U.S. measures as undermining the court’s credibility.
President Donald Trump’s executive order, which provides the legal basis for these sanctions, has been a subject of controversy. The order claims that the ICC has engaged in ‘illegitimate and baseless actions’ targeting the U.S. and its allies, particularly Israel. The ICC has consistently denied these allegations, arguing that its jurisdiction over certain cases is legitimate and based on international law. The sanctions, which were first imposed in February 2025 under Trump’s directives, are now being enforced against four additional ICC officials, signaling a continued U.S. stance against the court’s actions. This has raised concerns about the potential impact on the ICC’s ability to function independently and carry out its mandate.
The sanctions include measures such as freezing U.S. assets, restricting transactions involving these individuals, and blocking dealings with companies in which they hold a significant stake. The Department of Justice has stressed that these actions are intended to impose ‘tangible and significant consequences’ on the sanctioned officials for their involvement in the ICC’s activities against U.S. nationals and Israeli citizens. The ICC has responded by reiterating its dedication to impartiality and the rule of law, warning that the sanctions could damage the court’s ability to serve its mission and protect victims around the world.
International reactions to the sanctions have been mixed. While some countries and organizations have expressed support for the U.S. stance, others have criticized the measures as an attempt to undermine the ICC’s independence. The U.S. has argued that the court’s actions against American and Israeli interests are not legally justified, emphasizing the importance of national sovereignty in international legal matters. The ICC, on the other hand, has maintained that its activities are based on the mandates of its 125 States Parties and that the sanctions represent a threat to the integrity of the international justice system.