Amsterdam: The International Criminal Court (ICC) has sharply criticised the United States for imposing sanctions on its judges and prosecutors, describing the move as a direct assault on the independence of an international judicial institution. France and Belgium joined in condemning Washington’s decision, warning that the measures undermine the global fight against impunity.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the ICC said the sanctions will not deter it from carrying out its mandate of prosecuting the world’s most serious crimes. The court urged its 125 member states to show “firm and consistent support” for its work in delivering justice to victims of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
“These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate of 125 States Parties from all regions. They also represent an affront to the Court’s States Parties, the rules-based international order, and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world,” the ICC declared.
The US State Department announced sanctions against four ICC officials: Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada, Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Deputy Prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal.
According to Washington, Prost was sanctioned for authorising investigations into alleged crimes committed by US personnel in Afghanistan, while Guillou was targeted for approving arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Khan and Niang were sanctioned for continuing the ICC’s judicial steps concerning Israel.
France reacted strongly, particularly over the targeting of its national, Judge Nicolas Guillou. “France calls on the United States to withdraw all the sanctions adopted on the basis of the presidential Executive Order of 6 February 2025, which are contrary to the principle of the independence of the judicial system,” the French Embassy in London said in a statement. Paris reaffirmed its full solidarity with the judges and reiterated its support for the ICC’s mission to uphold justice and combat impunity.
Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot echoed this stance, branding the sanctions “deeply regrettable.” He described the ICC as “a cornerstone of the rules-based international order” and urged the European Union to use its Blocking Statute to shield the court and its officials from external political pressure. “The fight against impunity must not be obstructed. Justice must remain free,” Prevot said in a statement posted on X.
The development has intensified tensions between the United States and the ICC, with European allies rallying behind the court’s independence. Observers note that the US has historically resisted ICC jurisdiction, but the targeting of judges and prosecutors has drawn unprecedented criticism from Western partners.
