French ICC judge Nicolas Guillou says U.S. sanctions imposed in August 2025 after the court’s warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have left him unable to access basic financial and digital services.

Guillou, who served on the ICC panel that issued the 2024 arrest warrant for Netanyahu, said he has effectively been locked out of modern economic life. “Visa and Mastercard have blocked all my cards. I cannot make any purchases,” he said, describing the impact of sanctions imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I am a judge, yet treated like a criminal,” Guillou added, warning that the measures go beyond personal inconvenience and strike at the integrity of legal institutions.

He said the restrictions extend far beyond banking. Guillou can no longer use major global platforms, including Amazon, Airbnb, Booking.com, and Expedia, and even some UPS deliveries have reportedly been blocked.

“I discovered that almost all payment methods in France today are American,” he told France Télévisions. “The only cards we have in France are Visa and Mastercard.”

In an article published by Anadolu Ajansı on Monday, March 23rd, Guillou described the situation as a systemic form of pressure on legal professionals.

“Judges, lawyers, and politicians are being intimidated,” he said. “If prosecutors are afraid to prosecute, if lawyers are afraid to defend, if judges are afraid to judge… then we no longer have democracy.”

Also Read: Israeli Prime Minister’s Office Responds to Netanyahu’s Viral Assassination Claims

According to Guillou, the sanctions may remain in place for years. “A colleague told me my name won’t be removed from the blacklist until Trump’s term ends,” he said in an interview with France Télévisions, suggesting the penalties are tied to political timelines rather than legal review.

France’s Limited Leverage.

French authorities have attempted to intervene, but with limited success. Guillou said efforts by President Emmanuel Macron’s government to secure relief have gone unanswered. “Despite intervention by the French president, U.S. authorities have not responded,” he said.

Officials in Paris confirmed ongoing diplomatic engagement but expressed frustration at the lack of progress, according to French media reports.

The sanctions were imposed in August 2025, months after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The move marked a dramatic escalation in tensions between the United States and the Hague-based court, which Washington does not formally recognize. The Trump administration has long opposed ICC investigations involving U.S. allies, arguing they are politically motivated and infringe on national sovereignty.

Guillou warned that the implications extend beyond his personal situation. “We are going 30 years back in time,” he said, likening the restrictions to a “pre-digital world” where basic transactions become difficult or impossible.

Also Read: Trump’s Plan to Commemorate His Gold Coin Sparks Outrage as He is accused of Breaking The Law

The International Criminal Court has not publicly commented on Guillou’s individual case but has previously criticized sanctions against its officials, arguing they undermine the rule of law and the court’s mandate to prosecute serious international crimes.

Diplomatic Fallout

The arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant stem from alleged actions during Israel’s military operations in Gaza beginning in October 2023. The conflict has caused widespread devastation, with tens of thousands reported killed and large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure.

While a ceasefire was declared in October 2025, hostilities have continued intermittently, according to regional health authorities.

The ICC, established in 2002, prosecutes genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity when national courts are unwilling or unable to act. Its jurisdiction and authority, however, remain contested by several major powers, including the United States.