51ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

The Trump administration  on the International Criminal Court earlier this month after the President claimed the Court had “abused its power” by issuing an arrest warrant for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

Dr Benjamin Thorne, Lecturer in Criminal Law at the 51ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø School of Law, provides expert comment on the immediate and longer-term implications the US sanctions could have on the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation processes.

Dr Thorne is available for interview. Contact the 51ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk to arrange.

Dr Benjamin Thorne said: "The recent US sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) are not only significant for its finances but could also have a very damaging impact on the Court's investigation processes, which is a core part of its work.

"The sanctions have been deliberately designed to target companies who regularly engage with the Court. Companies such as Microsoft and Accenture are key technology partners of the Court. The ICC relies heavily on the AI and digital evidence management platforms these companies provide. If these companies suddenly disengaged from the Court because of these sanctions, this would likely have a significant and rapid impact on the Court's investigative abilities.

"Project Harmony, the ICC's evidence management platform, integrates Microsoft's cloud services with AI capabilities that processed more than 74,000 submissions in the past year. Without these systems, ICC investigations would start to grind to a halt as staff attempt to muddle through with outdated systems.

"The timing couldn't be worse – the sanctions come just as the ICC's Chief Prosecutor has fully committed to embracing AI technologies. The Court must now find European partners willing to provide alternative systems before its digital evidence capabilities rapidly deteriorate."

For more insights from Dr Benjamin Thorne, read: