ICC Deputy Prosecutor Reports Steady Progress Despite New US Financial Pressure

Nazhat Shameem Khan, the deputy prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, stated on Friday that the institution is making meaningful headway in its investigations despite the recent implementation of new US sanctions. Khan is currently co-running the prosecutor's office while the organization waits for the appointment of a new chief prosecutor. She emphasized that the pressure from Washington has not slowed down the court's core work, even though some employees are already feeling the financial strain.

The sanctions were announced on October 9 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He labeled the ICC a rogue court and issued a stark warning that either the court would end its threats or the United States would end the court. Rubio granted the organization a six month window to negotiate a solution that addresses American concerns. However, it remains unclear to many observers what specific changes would satisfy the White House during this grace period.

Khan noted that the investigation into the war in Gaza and other active cases have seen significant progress since November 2024. At that time, arrest warrants were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Galant. While no new charges regarding Gaza have been announced since late 2024, Khan explained that this silence is due to a court ruling from earlier this year. That ruling requires all charges and warrant applications to remain secret until judges determine they can be made public. She assured listeners that while it may appear that nothing is happening, substantial work is being done behind the scenes.

Some staff members have already encountered banking difficulties, even though the sanctions are not technically due to take full effect for another six months. Khan described this as banks over complying to minimize risk while the scope of the measures remains uncertain. She clarified that the sanctions target the institution in principle, so individual members should not be directly impacted. Nevertheless, she heard reports that staff are experiencing real challenges in managing their finances.

To protect itself from a hostile administration in Washington, the court is switching its software from Microsoft to European alternatives and negotiating with service providers regarding banking and health insurance. Khan stated that all investigations continue and that the court has not decided to reduce its capability or output based on the sanctions. She acknowledged, however, that it is impossible to predict the full impact once the measures officially begin.

Khan is personally familiar with these measures, having been one of thirteen ICC staff targeted by the US in February 2025. She remarked that life without a credit card is inconvenient, especially for travel. Yet she noted that her personal inconvenience is put into perspective by visits to refugee camps and sites of mass atrocities, where victims simply want justice. The court is also negotiating with the EU to block the sanctions or protect the institution, and the European Parliament recently awarded the court its Sakharov prize for freedom of thought.

Khan called the European backing a very important message for the staff. She believes the intense attention on the court reflects its relevance to the world. The court provides an avenue of justice for victims who have nowhere else to go and who wish to cut past politics to be heard.