ICC President Akane urges UN to protect court from US sanctions — The Japan Times
In New York, United States, International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane called on UN member states to take concrete action in response to increased US pressure on the court. She said that sanctions imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump threaten international justice and the rule of law, The Japan Times reports.
Address over sanctions
Akane presented the annual report to the UN General Assembly in a pre-recorded video address. In August, the United States imposed personal sanctions on her, preventing her from entering the country. This was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that an ICC president addressed the General Assembly remotely.
In early October, the Trump administration imposed sanctions directly on the ICC, while earlier restrictions had affected individual judges and prosecutors over investigations concerning the United States and its allies, including Israel. According to Akane, nine of the ICC’s 18 judges are under US sanctions. She described these measures as an attempt to obstruct justice and undermine the court’s independence.
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Calls for cooperation
The ICC president also called on states to cooperate in executing outstanding arrest warrants, including those issued for Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin, the leader of the aggressor state, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The International Criminal Court, established in 2002, investigates genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and holds those responsible accountable if national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so. The United States is not a party to the court. Representatives of the European Union and other states expressed support for the ICC during the meeting.
Akane stressed that the court cannot act independently and that its fate also depends on the states that created it. According to her, protecting the ICC also means protecting an international order based on the rule of law.
