US imposes new sanctions on ICC president, senior lawyer in latest escalation

The US Department of State announced on Tuesday the imposition of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) president and a senior trial lawyer. This action marks the latest in a series of aggressive measures by the Trump administration against the international tribunal. The ICC, established in 2002 and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, is responsible for investigating and prosecuting war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. However, the United States is not a member of the Court.

In a statement quoted on X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained that the sanctions were imposed under President Donald Trump's executive order. The individuals targeted are ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge, and Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese trial lawyer. Rubio accused the ICC of directly engaging in efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose governments have not consented to ICC jurisdiction.

He stated that these actions were part of Washington's unwavering commitment to protect Americans from what he called a "sham" of a court.

The sanctions prohibit Akane and Seye from entering the United States and engaging in financial transactions within the US system. Despite the US stance, the ICC remains undeterred by these measures and maintains its commitment to its mandate. The Court rejected the notion that measures targeting its staff undermine the rule of law, emphasizing that the international legal order itself is at risk when judicial actors are threatened.