US sanctions 4 ICC judges, deputy prosecutors for Netanyahu arrest warrants, Afghanistan investigation

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The US sanctioned four International Criminal Court (ICC) officials Wednesday, including a judge who authorized the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control added Nicolas Yann Guillou, Nazhat Shameem Khan, Mame Mandiaye Niang and Kimberly Prost to the Specially Designated Nationals list.

The State Department said Guillou was sanctioned for authorizing arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, while Prost faced penalties for approving investigations into US personnel in Afghanistan.

Deputy prosecutors Khan and Niang were designated for "continuing to support illegitimate ICC actions against Israel," including upholding the warrants targeting Israeli leadership since assuming prosecutor office leadership.

The State Department said sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 14203, which targets "malign efforts by the ICC" and aims to impose consequences on those engaged in "transgressions against the United States and Israel."

All property and interests of sanctioned individuals in the US or controlled by US persons are now blocked. Entities owned 50% or more by blocked persons are also sanctioned.