Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), against whom the U.S. has imposed sanctions, are facing the consequences of these measures—both material and psychological. This is reported by The Guardian.
The publication spoke with judges who have been placed on sanctions lists. Canadian Kimberly Prost, an active ICC judge, stated that being included on the sanctions list was a shock for her. “It was a moment when I truly couldn’t believe my eyes,” she said.
According to her, her credit cards, Amazon and Google accounts were blocked. Prost mentioned that after the sanctions were imposed, it became difficult for her to perform everyday tasks: ordering a taxi, booking flights, or a hotel. She also fears that other companies may restrict access to her accounts.
“These are coercive measures aimed at undermining our ability to perform our work objectively and independently. We want people to understand how wrong this is,” Prost expressed.
Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza reported that one of the Dutch banks blocked her credit card. The judge called this step excessive and noted that some banks are overly cautious due to ties with American organizations.
The restrictions also affected Ibáñez Carranza’s daughter: her American visa was revoked, and her Google accounts were deleted. The judge emphasized that her daughter has no connection to the ICC.
In February 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing economic sanctions against the International Criminal Court. Although targeted restrictions had been imposed by the U.S. before, the document allowed for the blocking of accounts and banning specific judges and prosecutors from entering the country. Sanctions can also extend to family members.
To date, 11 ICC officials have been listed, including the chief prosecutor.
As of February 2026, the ICC has issued arrest warrants:
Russia: Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, as well as military leaders Sergey Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov.
Israel and Hamas: Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, as well as Hamas leaders.
Philippines: Former President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Christopher “Bong” Go.
Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi (son of Muammar Gaddafi).
Sudan: Omar al-Bashir (former president) in the case of genocide in Darfur.
