The Hague, Netherlands - The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court lost access to his email and his bank account was frozen.

American staff at the Hague-based court were told that if they travel to the United States, they were at risk of arrest.

Some NGOs have stopped working with the ICC and a person will not even respond to emails from court officials.

These are just some of the obstacles faced by court staff since President Donald Trump cracked down on sanctions on his chief prosecutor Karim Khan in February.

Liz Evenson, the International Judicial Director of Human Rights Watch, said the sanctions would "prevent victims from obtaining judicial rights."

In November, the ICC judges panel issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Secretary Yoav Gallant, and Trump approved the court.

The judge found reason to believe that the couple could have committed war crimes by limiting humanitarian aid and deliberately targeting Israel's battle against Hamas, which Israeli officials deny.

ICC staff and allies say sanctions have made it increasingly difficult for courts to perform basic tasks, let alone seeking justice for victims of war crimes or genocide.

A spokesperson for the ICC and Khan declined to comment. In February, ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane said the sanctions “constituted a serious attack on the court states, the international order based on the rule of law and millions of victims.”

The February order banned Khan and other non-Americans from entering the United States among the 900 ICC employees. It also threatens anyone, agency or company, if they provide "financial, material or technical support" to Khan, they will also threaten their fines and prison time.

These sanctions are hampering widespread investigation efforts, not just one investigation into Israeli leaders.

For example, the International Criminal Court has been investigating Sudan’s atrocities and has issued an arrest warrant for former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges including genocide. The statement by a lawyer representing the ICC prosecutor is fighting sanctions in the U.S. courts, the investigation is at a standstill even when new atrocities are reported in Sudan. Prosecutor Eric Iverson filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, demanding protection sanctions.

Allison Miller, who represents Iverson in the lawsuit, said her clients “can’t do what I call the basic attorney function.”

ICC officials said the organization's U.S. staff, like Iverson, have been warned by its lawyers that they are at risk of arrest if they return home to visit their families. Six senior officials leave court over sanctions concerns

One of the reasons why the court is hampered is that it relies heavily on contractors and NGOs. According to current and former ICC staff, these businesses and groups have cut their work on behalf of the court because they are concerned about being targeted by U.S. authorities.

ICC employees said, for example, Microsoft canceled Khan's email address, forcing prosecutors to turn to Proton Mail. His bank account in the UK's home country has been blocked.

Microsoft did not respond to a request for comment.

Staff at a NGO play an integral role in the court’s efforts to collect evidence and find witnesses, which the group said has transferred funds from U.S. bank accounts because they fear the Trump administration might occupy it.

Senior leaders of two other human rights groups at the U.S. headquarters told the Associated Press that their groups have stopped working with the ICC. A senior staff member told the Associated Press that employees even stopped responding to court officials’ emails due to concerns that it would trigger a response from the Trump administration.

According to ICC officials, the cumulative impact of such actions has left ICC staff openly wondering whether the organization can survive in the Trump administration.

"It's hard to see how the courts do it over the next four years," said one such official.

Trump, a staunch supporter of Netanyahu, issued a sanction order shortly after his re-serving office, accusing the International Criminal Court of “illegal and unfounded actions against the United States and our close ally Israel.” Washington said the court had no jurisdiction over Israel.

Trump's order says the International Criminal Court sets dangerous precedents for Israel and the U.S. actions, directly endangering current and former U.S. personnel, including active service members of the armed forces. "He said the court's "vicious behavior" threatens "U.S. sovereignty and undermines the key national security and foreign policy efforts of the U.S. government. ”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Netanyahu dismissed the ICC allegations as “absurd” and Israel’s parliament is considering legislation that will allow the court to provide evidence for the court.

After Israeli Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel in October 2023, Israel launched an offensive, killing about 1,200 people, mainly civilians, and kidnapped others. Hamas is believed to hold about twenty hostages.

Inside the stadium, staff have been dealing with dark humor, joked that they can’t even borrow sweat or risk arise in US radar.

This is not the first time the International Criminal Court has aroused Trump's anger. In 2020, the former Trump administration approved Khan's predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, and one of her representatives in court to investigate crimes committed by the U.S. military in Afghanistan while operating in the country.

President Joe Biden lifted sanctions when he took office a few months later.

Now, U.S. court staff and advisers hold lawsuits against three Trump administration lawsuits, believing that sanctions violate their freedom of speech. Earlier this week, Iverson, a lawyer investigating genocide in Sudan, won temporary protections for prosecution, but other U.S. citizens in the court would have to file their own complaints if they wish to get similar assurances.

Meanwhile, the courts are facing increasingly national cooperation and are often considered the strongest supporters.

The ICC does not have its own executive body and relies on Member States. Last year, three countries, including two in the EU, refused to enforce a court-issued arrest warrant.

The Trump administration's reattack is because the courts are already facing internal challenges. Last year, Khan announced a few weeks after he requested an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, two court staff reported that British lawyers had harassed a female aide.

Khan explicitly denied the allegations that he groped and tried to coerce the female assistant. The UN investigation is underway, after which Khan has been accused of retaliating against employees who support the woman, including demoting several people he believes are criticizing him.

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Associated Press writer Mike Corder in The Hague, Netherlands contributed to the report.