{
  "id": 1784535,
  "title": "US sanctions ICC president over court’s investigations",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-sanctions-icc-president-over-courts-investigations",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T19:52:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/us-sanctions-icc-president-over-courts-investigations/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, citing their involvement in the court's investigations into officials who have not consented to ICC jurisdiction. The sanctions, authorized under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump, freeze any US assets held by the sanctioned individuals and cut them off from the US financial system. The US Treasury Department also issued a general licence allowing transactions involving Akane to be wound down through September 17. The latest action follows previous targeted sanctions imposed on ICC officials for the court's arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as an investigation into US troops in Afghanistan. The sanctions come as part of the Trump administration's broader campaign to undermine the ICC, with US lawmakers opposing the lifting of Nigeria's Country Cooperation Status (CPS) after a Plateau attack.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "US sanctions imposed on ICC president and senior lawyer in campaign against court",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-sanctions-imposed-on-icc-president-and-senior-lawyer-in-campaign",
        "published": "2026-08-18T18:37:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "US imposes sanctions on ICC president",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-imposes-sanctions-on-icc-president",
        "published": "2026-08-18T18:44:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Euronews",
        "title": "ICC hits back after US announces fresh sanctions on senior court figures",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/icc-hits-back-after-us-announces-fresh-sanctions-on-senior-court",
        "published": "2026-08-18T20:00:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "US sanctions ICC president over court’s investigations",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-sanctions-icc-president-over-courts-investigations-1786210",
        "published": "2026-08-18T20:02:33.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "US announces sanctions against ICC president and lawyer",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-announces-sanctions-against-icc-president-and-lawyer",
        "published": "2026-08-18T20:19:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "US designates ICC president, lawyer for probing government officials",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/us-designates-icc-president-lawyer-for-probing-government-officials",
        "published": "2026-08-18T21:06:31.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}