International Criminal Court investigators in Gaza and Afghanistan face further penalties as four individuals are targeted by EU sanctions for probing alleged war crimes.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on ICC Personnel Over Gaza and Afghanistan Investigations
The U.S. government has taken a firm stance against the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations into alleged war crimes in Gaza and Afghanistan, particularly those involving U.S. and Israeli officials. In August 2025, the U.S. Department of State and Treasury announced new sanctions against several ICC personnel.
The targeted individuals include judges Kimberly Prost (Canada), Nicolas Guillou (France), and deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan (Fiji) and Mame Mandiaye Niang (Senegal). These sanctions freeze any assets the targeted individuals hold in U.S. jurisdictions and include travel bans. This follows earlier sanctions against four other ICC judges and the ICC prosecutor.
Judge Nicolas Guillou has been part of the chamber that issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan and Mame Mandiaye Niang are overseeing investigations into serious crimes in Kabul, which include U.S. nationals, and in Sudan.
The U.S. imposes these sanctions on individuals who are foreign nationals who directly participated in the efforts of the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute citizens of the United States or Israel. Some of the investigations involve U.S. forces and the CIA for their involvement in global conflicts such as that in Afghanistan.
The U.S. government views the ICC as a threat to national security and a tool of legal warfare against the U.S. and its allies. President Trump has accused the ICC of abusing its power and considers the actions against the U.S. as illegal and unfounded.
International bodies such as the ICC, the UN, and human rights organizations have criticized these U.S. sanctions as an attack on judicial independence and the international rule of law. Human Rights Watch has also highlighted potential U.S. legal responsibility and individual implications for members of the U.S. military supporting Israeli operations in Gaza.
Hamas has accused the U.S. of being complicit in "starvation and genocide" in Gaza. The U.S. stance towards the ICC reflects a continued escalation of measures since the Trump administration era against the ICC’s investigations involving American and Israeli officials.
| Aspect | Details | |--------|---------| | U.S. Stance | Opposes ICC investigations into alleged U.S. and Israeli war crimes; views ICC as threat | | Sanctioned Individuals | ICC judges Kimberly Prost, Nicolas Guillou; prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan, Mame Mandiaye Niang; earlier sanctions on four other judges and ICC prosecutor | | Sanctions Imposed | Asset freezes in U.S. jurisdictions; travel bans for targeted ICC personnel | | Additional Sanctions | On Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority for ICC engagement | | U.S. Argument | Opposes ICC jurisdiction over nationals of non-member states; seeks to prevent internationalization of conflict via ICC | | International Reaction | ICC and UN condemn sanctions as assaults on judicial independence and rule of law; human rights groups warn of legal repercussions for U.S. cooperation with Israel in Gaza |
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