Azernews.Az

by Alimat Aliyeva

Microsoft has ended its cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid preparations by the United States to impose broad sanctions on the institution, forcing the court to switch to alternative digital services.

The development was reported by TASS, citing Gert-Jan Alexander Knops, a leading defence lawyer at the ICC.

According to Knops, the US sanctions could seriously disrupt the court’s operations. He noted that banks and other companies may be reluctant to provide services to the ICC because of the risk of facing secondary restrictions. This could affect ongoing investigations, court proceedings and the institution’s day-to-day activities.

Knops also said that possible protective measures by the European Union would not necessarily eliminate the risks for financial institutions and private companies cooperating with the ICC.

The court employs around 900 people from some 100 countries, and the planned restrictions could affect not only the institution itself but also its employees and contractors. Potential problems include access to bank cards, international travel, financial transactions and various digital services.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Washington was preparing sanctions that could prohibit most transactions with the ICC following a six- to seven-month transition period. The measures could also restrict the court’s ability to conduct transactions in US dollars, potentially limiting its access to a significant part of the global financial system.

Reuters reported that the US administration had prepared sanctions targeting the ICC as an organization. If implemented, US companies and citizens could be prohibited from providing funds, goods or services to the court without special authorization from the US Treasury. The measures could also have a broader effect, as non-US banks and companies may seek to avoid transactions with the ICC because of compliance risks.

An important aspect of the situation is that the potential sanctions could go beyond traditional financial restrictions. The ICC could face difficulties obtaining IT services, insurance, data storage and other essential services, meaning that even companies outside the United States may reconsider their cooperation with the court.

The ICC, established in 2002, investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The United States has never been a member of the court, and Washington has previously imposed sanctions on individual ICC officials. Sanctioning the institution as a whole would represent a significant escalation in the dispute between the US administration and the court.