US imposes sanctions on ICC — Deutsche Welle

In the United States, the administration of President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC). Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Washington would ban transactions with the court in order to limit its resources and ability to operate, Deutsche Welle reports.

US position

Rubio said that President Trump would not allow the ICC to hold Americans accountable. According to him, the sanctions are part of a large-scale campaign aimed at eliminating the threat that, in the US view, the court poses.

The United States and Israel have sharply opposed ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. DW also notes that since 2020, the United States has objected to investigations into military actions in Afghanistan: in such cases, priority was given to alleged Taliban crimes, but they could also have covered alleged violations by the United States.

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ICC reaction

ICC President Tomoko Akane said that the sanctions are intended to obstruct the work of an independent international court supported by more than half of UN member states. According to her, the court will continue to carry out its mandate independently and impartially, based on law and evidence.

The ICC is an international organization and court based in The Hague. It was established in 2002 under the Rome Statute. The court has theoretical jurisdiction over individuals in cases of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. There are 125 states parties to the Rome Statute, while the United States, Israel, China, India, and Russia do not recognize the court's jurisdiction.

In August, the United States had already imposed sanctions on Akane and Senegalese lawyer Abdoulaye Sey, who works at the ICC. In September, Trump called the court an evil organization in a speech at the UN.