French International Criminal Court judge Nicolas Guillou says US sanctions imposed on him have severely disrupted his personal and professional life, highlighting Europe’s reliance on American financial and digital infrastructure.
On August 20, 2025, Guillou was placed under US sanctions by President Donald Trump after authorizing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant over their roles in the devastation of the Gaza Strip.
Since then, Guillou says he has effectively been cut off from many everyday services, despite remaining in Europe. While he and his family are barred from entering US territory, the consequences extend far beyond travel restrictions.
Financial and digital isolation
Because Visa and Mastercard dominate global payment systems, Guillou says he is unable to use most credit cards. Access to numerous digital services has also been restricted, and even routine online purchases can be blocked if a US-linked intermediary, such as the shipping company UPS, is involved.
“What is at the heart of the sanctions is the prohibition on any US individual or legal entity from providing services to, or receiving services from, a sanctioned person,” Guillou told journalists on Tuesday.
He added that some banks engage in what he described as “over-compliance", automatically refusing transactions involving sanctioned individuals.
“This has happened to some of my colleagues, whose transfers or purchases were refused because the bank on the other side of the transaction declined the transfer from a sanctioned person,” he stressed.
“The most problematic situation is when it affects services for which there is actually no European alternative,” he added.
Guillou described booking a hotel in France through the US-based travel platform Expedia, only to have the reservation canceled hours later due to his sanctioned status.
At present, 11 judges at the International Criminal Court face similar restrictions.
Call for a European ‘sovereignty shield’
Guillou is urging the European Union to develop independent financial and technological systems, including the proposed digital euro, to protect Europeans from the extraterritorial reach of US sanctions.
“The only way to effectively respond to these sanctions is to build a response at the European level, because it needs to be economically strong, with a sufficiently powerful political and economic scope,” he said.
He argued that the EU should legislate “to create a true European sovereignty shield” that ensures uninterrupted access to European-based services for those operating within the bloc.
Warning of a chilling effect
Guillou cautioned that US sanctions have the potential to erase an individual’s ability to function in modern society, particularly for those whose lives are largely conducted online.
“I’m 50 years old; I’ve already lived through the ’90s. It’s not easy, but I know how to handle it. But if sanctions were to hit young people today, who are 25 and have their entire lives online, I think the sanctions I’m experiencing would be a true civil death for them,” he added.
He also warned that such measures could deter judges, policymakers, and public officials from carrying out their duties if they fear personal repercussions.
Several EU civil servants have been named in US reports in connection with digital regulations criticized by the White House.
Former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton was also reportedly denied a US visa after helping draft the Digital Services Act, which imposes obligations and penalties on major technology platforms, including US-based companies, regarding content moderation and regulatory compliance.
Source:Websites
