ICC slams US sanctions on court as 'flagrant attack'

On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) strongly criticized U.S. sanctions imposed on its president, President Tomoko Akane of Japan, and trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal. In a statement, the Hague-based court termed these sanctions a "flagrant attack" against the independence of an impartial judicial institution.

The ICC stated that the U.S. measures undermine the rule of law and threaten the international legal order, emphasizing its commitment to remain independent and impartial in line with the Rome Statute and in the best interests of victims of international crimes. Despite signing the Rome Statute in 2000, the United States never ratified it, a stance maintained by President Donald Trump who accused the court of being "politized."

European Union leaders and several member states rallied in support of the ICC, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa expressing their solidarity with the court. The ICC, which prosecutes war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity, relies on the independence of its judges and officials to carry out its essential work.

German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig decried the U.S. sanctions as deeply distressing, noting that the U.S. played a pivotal role in establishing the concept of international criminal law during the Nuremberg trials. France also condemned the sanctions, vowing solidarity with targeted magistrates and civil society organizations.

The sanctions, announced by the U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday, were met with widespread condemnation from various countries, including the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Nations.