"Civil Death" - How U.S. Sanctions Poisoned the Lives of French Judges 0 7

U.S. President Donald Trump imposed sanctions against him for authorizing the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant due to their role in the destruction of the Gaza Strip.

Since then, Guiu's life has, according to him, turned into a nightmare.

The judge and his family are banned from entering the United States, but the sanctions have also severely impacted his home in France — as his homeland, like all of Europe, relies on American suppliers for a variety of services.

The judge cannot use most credit cards, as the market is dominated by American Visa and Mastercard.

Most digital services have become inaccessible, online orders may be blocked if they involve an American intermediary — for example, the delivery service UPS.

Some banks automatically reject payments from individuals under sanctions.

Guiu recounted how he booked a hotel in France through the American travel company Expedia, but a few hours later, the booking was canceled.

"The basis of the sanctions is a prohibition on any individual or legal entity from the U.S. providing services or receiving services from a sanctioned individual," explains Nicolas Guiu. "The most difficult situation arises when it comes to services for which there is actually no European alternative."

Currently, 11 judges of the International Criminal Court are in a similar situation.

"Shield of Sovereignty"

Nicolas Guiu urges the EU to develop its own tools and services to protect Europeans from such U.S. actions.

The judge calls for the adoption of a law that would serve as a "shield of sovereignty" and guarantee that Europeans in Europe can receive any services regardless of Donald Trump's mood.

"I am 50 years old, I have already lived through the 1990s. It is not easy, but I know how to cope with it. But if the sanctions imposed on me affected young people who are now 25 years old and whose entire lives are spent online — for them, it would be a real civil death," believes Guiu.

According to him, such problems threaten any European who opposes the current policies of the White House.

Washington has disclosed the names of several EU officials involved in the development of the Digital Services Act, which imposes fines and moderation for large digital platforms, most of which, again, are based in the U.S.

Even former European Commissioner Thierry Breton was denied an American visa for his "key role" in creating and adopting this document.