The International Criminal Court in The Hague has taken a remarkable step, protecting itself against possible punitive measures from the United States. The court has its office software from the American Microsoft replaced by a European alternative.
Due to the political sensitivity of the case, a spokesperson for the ICC does not want to comment on the motivation for the decision. He only confirms that the switch from one software supplier to another is indeed being made.
Chief prosecutor Karim Khan was previously locked out of his Outlook email account
The German Handelsblatt reported last week first about the “politically explosive decision”, which the court is said to have taken out of “fear of reprisals from President Trump”. The US government has already imposed sanctions on at least four ICC employees for their role in investigating and prosecuting Americans and Israelis, including Prime Minister Netanyahu.
In addition, chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who temporarily resigned in May amid allegations of misconduct, was previously locked out of his Outlook email account. In this regard, Microsoft emphasizes that it has “at no time stopped or suspended its services to the International Criminal Court.” The US company states that “the lead prosecutor’s email shutdown was the result of sanctions, not a decision to terminate services.”
The new office software for the ICC will be Open Desk, an Open Source system provided by the German Zendis (in full Zentrum für Digitale Souveränität der Öffentlichen Verwaltung). This company set up by the German government has to purpose “strengthening the digital sovereignty of governments at national, state and municipal level”.
Just like in the Netherlands, government institutions in Germany also run on Microsoft systems in the vast majority of cases. Chancellor Merz said recently that “we have become far too dependent on hardware and software, especially software, from the United States.”
Old industry
Zendis, which has only been operational since 2024 and has no more than forty employees, does not develop software programs itself. It helps its customers find Open Source systems from commercial companies such as the German Nextcloud, bundles them and brings them together for the customer on one platform. One of his largest customers is the Robert Koch Institute, the German counterpart of the RIVM.
Zendis, located in the Ruhr area, must shape the digital age from a symbol of the disappeared old industry: the only building still standing of the former Opel factory in Bochum.
Microsoft emphasizes that the ICC has not broken off all contacts and that the court is still a customer. “We attach great importance to our relationship with the ICC (International Criminal Court) as a customer and are convinced that nothing will prevent us from continuing to provide services to the ICC in the future.”
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