ICC slams US decision to sanction the court's president and a senior prosecution lawyer

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has strongly condemned the United States' recent sanctions targeting its president, Tomoko Akane, and a senior prosecution lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye. The U.S. government has accused the ICC of overstepping its mandate by investigating senior military and political officials from countries like Israel and the United States.

The sanctions, implemented on Wednesday, freeze any assets held by the two ICC officials in U.S. jurisdictions or involving the U.S. financial system. This move is seen as an "escalation" by the court's oversight body, which warns that it could undermine ongoing investigations and impede global efforts to seek justice for victims of global atrocities.

Japan, a strong ally of the U.S., called the sanctions "very unfortunate" and pledged to maintain communication with the United States. Meanwhile, the U.S. government has branded the ICC as a "corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court" and is pressuring its 125 member states to withdraw from the institution.