Amsterdam
The International Criminal Court (ICC), joined by France and Belgium, has denounced US sanctions imposed on four of its judges and prosecutors, calling it a direct attack on judicial independence. The ICC vowed to continue its work undeterred, urging its 125 member states to provide firm backing.
“These sanctions are a flagrant attack on an impartial judicial institution and an affront to millions of victims worldwide,” the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday. The sanctions target Judge Kimberly Prost of Canada, Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, and Deputy Prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal.
According to the US State Department, Prost was sanctioned for authorising investigations into US personnel in Afghanistan, while Guillou was linked to issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. Khan and Niang faced sanctions for continuing actions against Israel.
France reacted strongly, demanding the US withdraw the sanctions. “They are contrary to judicial independence,” France’s embassy in the UK said, reaffirming solidarity with Judge Guillou and supporting the ICC’s mission against impunity.
Belgium also condemned the move. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called the ICC a “cornerstone of the rules-based international order” and urged the EU to activate its Blocking Statute to protect the court. “The fight against impunity must not be obstructed. Justice must remain free,” he said.
Despite US measures, both France and Belgium pledged stronger cooperation with international partners to safeguard the ICC’s independence and credibility in delivering justice for global victims.