The US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions today (Thursday) on Karim Khan, the chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, as part of broader sanctions against the ICC. This was according to a statement from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The announcement comes about a week after President Trump declared sanctions against the ICC itself.
The sanctions on Khan include asset freezes in the US, a ban on American citizens engaging in commercial dealings with him, and a travel ban to the United States, as is customary in cases where individuals are added to the US Treasury Department's sanctions list. These measures could also affect his immediate family. The executive order also prohibits donations or assistance in any way to help Khan circumvent the sanctions, as anyone involved would face sanctions themselves.
It is important to note that the sanctions were imposed due to the court's decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Khan, a British citizen, was included in the blacklist that Trump signed last week, and Reuters confirmed that sanctions have been imposed on him. Currently, Khan is the only individual at the ICC who has been sanctioned, but the presidential order is broader in scope, covering anyone involved in the case against Israel.
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing sanctions against ICC members and those assisting investigations against the US and its allies. During his previous term, Trump had imposed sanctions on the court, but these were reversed when the Democrats took control of the government.
The International Criminal Court condemned the American decision, stating, "We will continue to deliver justice and hope to millions of innocent victims around the world."
