The International Criminal Court (ICC) has hit back after US President Trump slapped sanctions on the institution.
In a statement, the court condemned the issuance by the US of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and “harm its independent and impartial judicial work.” It added, “The Court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world.”
The court called on states parties, civil society and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.
Separately, UN human rights office Spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani expressed deep regret about US President Donald Trump’s decision to sign an executive order that authorises aggressive economic sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and urged him to reverse the move.
On her part, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of European Commission, stated on X, without openly mentioning Trump’s sanctions on the court, that the International Criminal Court (ICC) must be able to pursue its fight against global impunity without hindrance.
“The ICC guarantees accountability for international crimes and gives a voice to victims worldwide. It must be able to freely pursue the fight against global impunity. Europe will always stand for justice and the respect of international law.”
Ursula von der Leyen
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar praised Trump for his decision to authorise sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its employees. “I strongly commend President Trump’s executive order to impose sanctions on the so-called ‘international criminal court’,” he wrote on X.
He added that the ICC’s actions are “immoral and have no legal basis.”
Saar insisted the court has no jurisdiction as Israel and the US are not members.
This stance has been repeatedly refuted by legal experts, who say the State of Palestine is a member and the court, therefore, has a mandate to investigate war crimes committed there.
Analyst Points To Indirect Implications Of ICC Sanctions
Saul Takahashi, a Professor of international human rights law at Osaka Jogakuin University, said that the direct impact of the sanctions imposed on the ICC by the US is likely to be very limited.
He said that the court “is not in the United States, it is in The Hague in the Netherlands.”
He added that there will be implications for some ICC staff members who have assets in the US.
Takahashi, however, said the indirect implications of Trump’s move “can be very serious.”
“The executive order talks about not only sanctioning actual staff members of the ICC … but also people who cooperate with the ICC in the investigation into Israeli officials.
“We are talking about human rights activists, victims, etc. Those kinds of people may be shut out of the US or face penalties.”
Saul Takahashi
Eric Witte, a former ICC official and external relations adviser to former ICC president Judge Sang-Hyun Song, told a news agency from Brussels that “a lot depends on whether the 125 countries that are party to the Rome statute which created the ICC choose to block the worst effects of this action.”
“But if they don’t defend the court, [Trump’s] executive order poses an existential threat to the ICC’s ability to function, not just in the situation of Palestine, but in all situations before the court, including Ukraine, Sudan, Afghanistan and others.
“Governments and companies may try to support just Ukraine investigation, for example, but services like banking services or provision of software can be used by the court across situations. So, companies and governments or individuals may choose to try to avoid providing those services in fear of retribution from the US government.”
Eric Witte
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