ICC says US sanctions a 'flagrant attack' on court independence
ICC says US sanctions a 'flagrant attack' on court independence The International Criminal Court on Wednesday lashed out at the US after Washington slapped sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane, calling it a "flagrant attack" on the court's independence. The US sanctioned Akane of Japan and trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal on Tuesday, as part of Washington's campaign against what it calls…
The International Criminal Court (ICC) vehemently criticized the United States' recent sanctions, calling it a "flagrant attack" on the court's independence. On Tuesday, Washington imposed sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye from Senegal. These sanctions are part of the US campaign against the ICC, which the US deems as "corrupt and fatally politicised".
United Nations rights chief Volker Turk and top officials from the European Union joined the ICC in condemning the sanctions, urging their immediate removal. The EU's chief, Ursula von der Leyen, and the head of the European Council, Antonio Costa, both expressed their stance on X, stating that the ICC must operate independently and without external pressure.
Germany's foreign ministry emphasized the court's independence as of "central importance". The Netherlands, the host nation of the ICC, voiced its disapproval. Spain, too, described the ICC as "the cornerstone of the international criminal justice system", further solidifying the international outcry against the US sanctions.
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