'It's surreal': How US sanctions lock ICC judges out of daily life
3 days ago
- #International Criminal Court
- #US Sanctions
- #Judicial Independence
- Kimberly Prost, a Canadian judge at the ICC, was sanctioned by the US after authorizing an investigation into possible atrocities in Afghanistan, including by US troops.
- The sanctions had a 'pervasive, negative effect' on Prost's life, including losing access to banking, credit cards, and online services like Amazon and Uber.
- Sanctions also affected ICC staff from various countries, making international transactions and sending money home difficult.
- The US sanctions targeted ICC judges involved in investigations into alleged war crimes by the US, Taliban, Afghan forces, and Israeli officials.
- The US and Israel reject the ICC's jurisdiction, but the court asserts its authority over crimes committed in member states, including Palestine and Afghanistan.
- Prost, with a background in prosecuting genocide and war crimes, finds the sanctions ironic given her past role as a UN ombudsperson for sanctions.
- The sanctions have a psychological impact on ICC staff, who now share a list with individuals accused of human rights violations and terrorism.
- Prost emphasizes the importance of the ICC's independence and the need for justice without exemptions for powerful nations.
- The US sanctions are unprecedented, and Prost considers legal action, though costly, to challenge their questionable legal basis.
- Prost hopes public awareness will rally support for the ICC and limit the sanctions' impact, stressing the imperative of justice for all.