Netherlands and EU partners work to protect ICC independence — Anadolu Agency

The Netherlands, together with partners in the European Union, is working to protect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC) amid United States sanctions. This was stated by Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen.

“Together with our EU partners, we continue to work to protect the ICC’s independence in the face of sanctions,” Berendsen wrote on social media platform X. According to Anadolu Agency, he also discussed the European Commission’s role in supporting the court with European Commissioner Maria Luís Albuquerque.

Support for the court’s work

According to Berendsen, the interlocutors emphasized the importance of EU operators continuing to provide services to the ICC.

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Washington’s sanctions

Washington imposed sanctions against the ICC on October 9, several hours after former court judge Navi Pillay became a recipient of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The ICC rejected the sanctions, calling them an attack on the rule of law, and urged state parties to take measures to ensure the court’s continued work.

Pillay, a South African lawyer, served in the ICC Appeals Chamber in 2003–2008. The sanctions were preceded by increased US pressure on the court after it issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the case concerning war crimes in Gaza. In August, Washington had already imposed sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors, including the court’s president, Tomoko Akane.