ICC judge on what U.S. sanctions mean for her and global courts

msdz

Regardless of what one personally thinks about the ICC, this isn’t a good look for neither the US nor Europe. For the U.S., because sanctioning an “unpleasant”, but in essence harmless individual (geopolitically speaking) is ridiculous. Falling victim to de-banking alone can really ruin one’s life. And for the EU, because it once again showcases the dependence on U.S. systems for just about anything tech-related in everyday life and work.

slowin

> "You start to lose services from American companies, Amazon, Google, potentially Apple, whatever it may be," > Her credit cards, issued in the Netherlands and Canada, were canceled. She has managed to keep some bank accounts, but says her banking services are extremely limited and even small transfers can be blocked. > One of the most serious examples is her health insurance. Prost receives coverage through AXA, the French company that provides insurance for the court. She says the company has refused to pay her claims even though it is not legally required to follow the U.S. sanctions. This is beyond chilling. You could conceivably self-host some alternatives, although you could easily lose your domain name and internet access. Maybe in a fictional future some sort of crypto currency could help with the de-banking. I don't think there's a solution for losing your health insurance though. All because the US doesn't want Israel to be held accountable in the ICC. I don't think we've ever been closer to fascism and it's in service for a foreign country (not that it would be ok if it wasn't!).

elAhmo

These sanctions are a prime example of influence of a foreign nation on the USA policies.

Planktonne

> "We are judges, and we are being told that rather than deciding our cases on the basis of the facts and the law before us, as we are duty bound to do, we're being asked to decide the cases or not decide them in accordance with the wishes of the U.S. government," she said. Just incredibly naked corruption.

JSR_FDED

This is at once thuggish and petty. If the US Govt doesn’t recognize the ICC then…don’t? Going after individual judges is mafia tactics. It’s also guaranteed to backfire - no judge who by definition deeply believes in the mission and legitimacy of the ICC is going to be deterred by these tactics.

hananova

> One of the most serious examples is her health insurance. Prost receives coverage through AXA, the French company that provides insurance for the court. She says the company has refused to pay her claims even though it is not legally required to follow the U.S. sanctions. Then it is high time to make the company legally required not to follow the U.S. sanctions.

hliyan

In the modern world, to deprive someone of access to the banking system, internet connectivity, or access to their digital identity, is similar to depriving someone of housing or clothing. They're necessities for participation in modern society, so this amounts to a civil death sentence or civiliter mortuus .

ArcHound

There is just no alternative to Microsoft. Since they push everything into cloud MS gets centralised control. Cutting MS literally cuts the person off from anything digital. There is some movement to reduce MS dependency in Europe, but it's not yet there. Until then, this will be a huge lever available to US. I've written about this back in the day: https://blog.miloslavhomer.cz/microsoft-dependency-has-risks... Discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44381358

franczesko

All of this, because one war criminal can't come to Europe anymore

jazzyjackson

You can’t convince me that this administration isn’t intentionally driving this country into the ground. Our whole economic growth story is basically that our tech companies can provide service to 8 billion people, not just 0.35 B Americans. Moves like this makes buying American (or even just watching YouTube) toxic. Edit: not to mention moving our allies toward not complying with US sanctions at all, reducing American soft power

UncleOxidant

> One of the most serious examples is her health insurance. Prost receives coverage through AXA, the French company that provides insurance for the court. She says the company has refused to pay her claims even though it is not legally required to follow the U.S. sanctions. I would hope the French gov would step in and pay her claims directly.

axus

If it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone. Put it on the list of wrongs that we want righted by the next US government.

teekert

"I went home and Alexa wouldn't talk to me," she told NPR's Steve Inskeep. ICC judge and she has a device like this in her house. I think that she did not read any Snowden related books. Furthermore it's a bit of a missed opportunity for her to not move to Proton, NextCloud, GrapheneOS, and show how she can still live her life with many modern conveniences. She could find some non-over-complient companies and list them, I'd go for those from now on, great PR. But alas, she is not a Techy. Maybe Meredith Whittaker can pay her a visit and show her a thing or two. I'd like to see that happen. Whittaker will be in the Netherlands soon for an Honorary degree [0] [0] https://vu.nl/nl/nieuws/2026/vu-eredoctoraat-voor-voorvechte...

kogasa240p

Monero solves this btw.

thriftwy

I guess the only way out for that judge is going to Russia, repenting their sins, getting some Mir cards and a Russian passport with a patronym in it. Maybe they can get rebanked by some Dubai establishments who for some reason will not identify their new passport with that sanctioned identity. I'm only half-joking because all of that is absolutely possible.

tmp10423288442

I sympathize with the ICC judge's plight, but they already violated international law by issuing an arrest warrant for a citizen of a nation that isn't a party to the ICC. Yes, I'm aware that they justify it because Palestine is a party to the ICC, but Palestine isn't an internationally-recognized state for better or worse.

penguin_booze

Enslaved nations should rise against the slave master.

bossyTeacher

Arguably, the US has ALWAYS been like this. The difference is that NOW, it is doing it to Western countries so people talk more about it.