Fijian international jurist and Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Nazhat Shameem Khan, has been sanctioned by the United States government, alongside three other senior ICC officials, for what Washington describes as “malign efforts” by the Court against the U.S. and Israel.
In a statement issued today, the U.S. Department of State confirmed that the sanctions fall under Executive Order (E.O.) 14203, which targets individuals directly involved in ICC actions to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute U.S. or Israeli nationals without the consent of their governments.
“These designations aim to impose tangible and significant consequences on those directly engaged in the ICC’s transgressions against the United States and Israel,” the Department said.
Shameem Khan, a former Chief Justice of the High Court of Fiji and respected figure in international law, was appointed as Deputy Prosecutor of the ICC in 2022.
She now faces a complete freeze of any property or interests in the United States, along with a broad prohibition on U.S. persons conducting transactions with her.
According to the U.S. State Department, Mrs Khan is being sanctioned for her continued support of ICC actions deemed “illegitimate,” particularly the Court’s upholding of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. These warrants relate to alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.
The other sanctioned ICC officials include, Kimberly Prost, Judge, for authorizing the ICC’s Afghanistan investigation targeting U.S. personnel, Nicolas Guillou, Judge, for authorizing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and Mame Mandiaye Niang, fellow Deputy Prosecutor, for co-leading the prosecution office with Khan.