ICC says it is buffered against potential US sanctions
The ICC has overhauled its software, banking and payroll systems over the past year to shield itself from possible US sanctions, deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said.
The International Criminal Court has taken steps to shield itself from the effects of possible court-wide sanctions by the United States, its deputy prosecutor, Nazhat Shameem Khan, has said.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Khan said the tribunal had worked extensively to make sure it could withstand any future sanctions. "We have done a lot of work to ensure that the court is buffered from the impacts of any potential sanctions in the future," she was quoted as saying.
According to Khan, the court has spent the past year reworking its internal systems. It has moved its office software from Microsoft to the German open-source alternative openDesk, and has developed workarounds for health insurance and banking services.
The court has also been paying its employees months in advance as a way of limiting disruption to payroll, she said.
The measures come amid indications that US President Donald Trump's administration has prepared sanctions targeting the entire court and intends to announce them soon.
The ICC, which is based in The Hague, has been bracing for such a move as it continues to pursue cases that have drawn US objections.