ICC Deputy Reports Staff Banking Issues

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, stated that staff members are already experiencing banking difficulties related to new United States sanctions. She noted that these issues are emerging before the measures officially take effect in six months.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions on October 9. He described the court as a rogue institution and declared that either the ICC would end its threats or the US would end the court. Rubio granted the institution a six-month period to negotiate a solution, although specific requirements from Washington remain undefined.

Khan, who is co-running the prosecutor's office while a new chief is appointed, said investigations into the Gaza war have made significant progress. This work follows the November 2024 arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant. Khan explained that no new charges have been publicized because a court ruling earlier this year required all warrant applications to remain secret until judges approve their release.

She told the Guardian that the lack of public updates does not mean work has stopped. Khan said, 'Even if we reach a stage of the investigations where it might be imminent, we may not discuss it publicly.' She assured that progress is being made in the Gaza situation and other cases despite the appearance of silence.

The banking problems stem from institutions being overly cautious. Khan said banks are over-complying to minimize risk while the scope of the sanctions is unclear. She explained that while the sanctions target the institution, individual members should not be directly impacted in principle. However, she reported hearing from staff that they are facing real difficulties with their finances.

The court is taking steps to reduce its reliance on American technology and services. It is switching its software from Microsoft to European alternatives and negotiating with providers regarding banking and health insurance. Khan stated that all investigations continue and that the court has not reduced its capability or output based on the sanctions. She acknowledged, however, that the full impact remains difficult to predict until the measures become active.

Khan has personal experience with these measures, having been one of 13 staff members targeted by the US in February 2025. She described life without a credit card as inconvenient, particularly for travel. She added that her perspective was shaped by visits to refugee camps and sites of mass atrocities, where she saw victims for whom banking access is irrelevant and who simply want justice.

The prosecutor's office faces other disruptions as well. Formal investigations into sexual harassment allegations against former Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan began in late November 2024. The British jurist, who is not related to the deputy prosecutor, denied the charges. He was removed from his position in July following a vote by member states.

Rubio claimed this month that globalist experts wanted the ICC to prosecute US citizens. Khan said the reference was unclear, noting the court has not brought any Americans before it. She suggested the reference might be to the Afghanistan case, where the priority is offenses against women and girls by the Taliban and Islamic State Khorasan. This month, the pretrial chamber unsealed four arrest warrants against Taliban members for gender persecution.

The ICC registrar is negotiating with the European Union to block the sanctions or protect the court through other means. On Thursday, the European Parliament awarded the court and its officials the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. Khan called this support an important message for staff. She said, 'I think that the fact that there is so much attention on us is a reflection of how relevant we are.' She added that the court provides an avenue of justice for victims who have nowhere else to go.