Microsoft Blocks the Email Account of a Chief Prosecutor. Europe Watches.

A senior investigator of the International Criminal Court loses access to his emails – because a US President imposes sanctions. Microsoft complies. Without trial, without justification, without consequences.

A case that reveals everything many in Europe continue to ignore: Our digital infrastructure is beyond our control. Anyone using services like Microsoft 365 or Azure today is not acting neutrally. They are relinquishing control.

What Happened Is Not an Exception – It’s Systemic

• A UN investigator is technically incapacitated.
• NGOs end cooperation with the ICC out of fear of sanctions.
• Investigations into war crimes come to a halt – not due to lack of evidence, but because access was blocked.

Anyone reading this and thinking: “This doesn’t affect us” – is mistaken.

European Institutions, Companies, Authorities – They All Rely on the Same Platforms

And these platforms are not under European jurisdiction. They follow political directives from Washington – whether openly stated or implicitly conveyed. In crisis situations, no court decides on access or blocking. A US agency decides. Or a company based in Seattle.

This is not a theoretical risk. It is reality.

Those in Europe Still Relying on US Hyperscalers Are Consciously Choosing Dependence

It’s Not About Ideology, But Functionality

The blocking of email access by US corporations is not a footnote. It shows what is possible when we use systems that are beyond our reach. Anyone planning, communicating, and storing on these platforms must be aware: The technical foundation is not neutral. It is part of geopolitical power logic.

The Consequence Is Clear

A strategic shift is overdue. Not out of principle, but out of necessity. Only infrastructure developed, operated, and controlled in Europe protects us from external access and political arbitrariness.

This case is a wake-up call – for all who still believe that compliance alone is sufficient.