‘Financial death penalty’: How US sanctions are upending the lives of ICC judges

Three International Criminal Court (ICC) judges have had their bank accounts frozen, lost their health insurance and were cut off from basic financial services as a result of sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, a complaint filed in a New York federal court reveals.

US sanctions, imposed under Executive Order 14203 signed by President Donald Trump in February 2025, led to consequences that stretch far beyond the professional lives of the three judges.

The measures have affected their freedom of movement, their physical security, their families and their ability to carry out basic daily transactions.

Filed on 24 June in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, the complaint describes in detail the toll the measures have taken on Judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin.

All three have served on the court since March 2018.

Read more: ‘Financial death penalty’: How US sanctions are upending the lives of ICC judges