'History will judge this moment': ICC urges member states to defend the institution

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has appealed to its member states to protect the institution following sanctions imposed by the United States. ICC President Tomoko Akane emphasized that this is not just a defense of a single institution, but a crucial safeguarding of the international order grounded in the rule of law. She noted that the US move follows a series of sanctions against 13 independent judges and prosecutors who work towards justice.

The US sanctions, targeting a judicial institution created by treaty and entrusted by 125 state parties to investigate and prosecute crimes like genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression, have been labeled by the ICC as an attempt to obstruct justice and intimidate the court. The ICC maintains that this action is an assault on the rule of law and the international legal order, and that no one should be above the law.

Despite the sanctions, the ICC remains committed to its mandate, promising to continue its work with independence and impartiality, guided solely by the law and evidence. The court stresses that it cannot act alone and now seeks support from the very states that established it. The Rome Statute, the foundational treaty, binds the international community to ensure that the most serious crimes are not left unpunished.

The ICC's President calls on the international community to uphold historical principles and to recognize that future generations and victims of mass atrocities will judge how the court responded to such attacks. She urges all states to stand firm against pressures and to defend the principles proclaimed at the institution's creation.