UN chief condemns US sanctions on ICC as international backlash grows

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the United States' decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), expressing deep alarm over the potential impact of the sanctions. The move, according to Guterres' spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, represents a significant setback for the global effort to uphold international criminal justice, with the ICC serving as a crucial component of this pursuit.

Dujarric emphasized Guterres' steadfast support for the court's independence and the integrity of its officials.

The UN chief's condemnation echoes the sentiments of several US allies, who have swiftly condemned the sanctions following earlier statements from the EU and a coalition of countries, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Spain expressed its disapproval of the measures, while the Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen, whose nation hosts the court, acknowledged that the six-month grace period before the sanctions become effective offers an opportunity for diplomatic dialogue.

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot called for the activation of the EU's Blocking Statute to protect the court from the sanctions, while German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig described the U.S. decision as "utterly staggering," noting that the United States, which supported the Nuremberg trials, is now attempting to undermine international criminal law.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant, defended the sanctions, referring to the court as a "political body that poses a mortal threat to law-abiding democracies."