The United States has announced sanctions against four senior officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including Senegalese prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang, in a move that has sparked concerns over judicial independence and international diplomacy.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, by the US Treasury and State Department.
The sanctions target two judges and two prosecutors who have participated in ICC proceedings related to Israel and the United States.
Alongside Niang, the officials affected are Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, and Kimberly Prost of Canada.
Washington has frozen their financial assets and barred their entry to the United States.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the ICC as a “threat” to national security, accusing the court of engaging in “judicial abuse” that undermines Washington’s allies.
The decision follows ICC authorisations of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, and builds on earlier sanctions imposed on outgoing chief prosecutor Karim Khan.
Lawyer Juan Branco, who represents Palestinian victims, criticised the US measures, emphasising the responsibility of national authorities to protect their citizens.
He specifically cited Senegal, which currently chairs the UN Committee for the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. On social media, Branco warned that other lawyers and officials involved in the ICC proceedings could be next in the crosshairs.
For Senegal, the sanction against Mame Mandiaye Niang is particularly significant.
As a member of the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, Niang plays a role in cases touching on sensitive geopolitical issues.
Analysts say the sanctions could reignite debates about judicial sovereignty, the independence of international courts, and the influence of major powers over global justice mechanisms.
The incident underscores rising tensions between the United States and international judicial bodies, raising questions about the protection of legal officials working on politically sensitive cases and the broader balance of power within the international system.
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