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The International Criminal Court is ditching Microsoft software for an open
source alternative

Date:
Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:44:53 +0000

Description:
The ICC wants to become less dependent on US providers like Microsoft.

FULL STORY

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is looking to replace its internal 
work environments to move away from US-made software in fear of retaliation
from the US administration. 

The Microsoft software currently used in the Hague-based ICC is likely to be
replaced with Open Desk, a German collaboration software alternative which is
open source , meaning developers have chosen to release the source code -
opening it up to scrutiny and often meaning that bugs and vulnerabilities are
picked up quickly by the community. 

The move protects the ICC from further targeted sanctions by the US 
government for transgressions against the United States and Israel - in which
judges and prosecutors for the court have been threatened with travel bans 
and asset freezes.

Kill switch 

Early in 2025, Chief Prosecutor for the ICC Kamrin Khan, after being hit with
sanctions from the Trump administration, was disconnected from his email
service. 

This action was thought to be from Microsoft supporting US sanctions -
although the firm denied this, with a spokesperson stating; at no point did
Microsoft cease or suspend its services to the ICC. 

This sparked fears that US tech firms could flip a kill switch and cut 
digital services on orders of Trump - outlining the need to become less
dependent on US technology, with firms like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon
dominating Europes digital services and cloud markets. 

Open Desk is created for public administrations by the German Centre for
Digital Sovereignty of the Public Administration (Zendis)  - a publicly owned
company created with the aim of building sovereign digital infrastructure for
EU states. 

Efforts have been made to reduce EU reliance on the US not just for digital
services, but for hyperscalers too - as Trumps increasingly hostile and
unpredictable foreign policy leaves allies exposed and looking to develop
their own infrastructure. 

Via Handelsblatt (translated online) 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/the-international-criminal-court-is-ditching-mic
rosoft-software-for-an-open-source-alternative

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