US sanctions could paralyze ICC operations, Russian legal expert says
Quick Look
US sanctions against the International Criminal Court could disrupt its day-to-day operations and investigations by cutting off access to the US financial system and technology, according to Artur Gulasaryan of Kutafin Moscow State Law University, who warned that restrictions would block dollar transactions and impair IT infrastructure without special OFAC authorization.
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Why It Matters
The US administration under President Donald Trump had prepared a full package of sanctions against the ICC as an organization, according to Reuters citing two sources, with plans to announce them soon.
MOSCOW, September 23. /TASS/. US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) could make its day-to-day operations and investigations impossible due to restrictions related to the US financial system and technology, Artur Gulasaryan, an associate professor at the Kutafin Moscow State Law University (MSAL), told TASS.
Reuters earlier reported, citing two sources, that US President Donald Trump’s administration had prepared a full package of sanctions against the ICC as an organization and planned to announce their introduction soon.
"Cutting the ICC off from US technology and the financial system makes it impossible to conduct its day-to-day operations and investigations," Gulasaryan said.
The lawyer explained that due to the sanctions, the ICC could lose access to US financial and technology services without special authorization from the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). "The financial aspect of the restrictions involves the inevitable blocking of dollar correspondent accounts and transactions, which, under strict banking compliance rules, effectively isolates the ICC from the international settlement system and makes standard cross-border payments impossible," he said. "The court’s operations are further paralyzed by the severe deterioration of its IT infrastructure: due to OFAC restrictions, the institution loses legal access to US-licensed software, cloud data storage services and secure communications systems."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The US will officially announce sanctions against the ICC in the near future
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What specific sanctions are included in the US package against the ICC?
- When will the US officially announce the sanctions against the ICC?
- How might other countries or international bodies respond to US sanctions on the ICC?
- Can the ICC seek exemptions or workarounds through OFAC for essential operations?
