ICC Rejects US Sanctions As Court Vows To Continue Operations

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has condemned sanctions imposed on the institution by the United States, saying the measures will not deter it from carrying out its mandate.

In a statement on Friday, the court described the sanctions as an attempt to obstruct justice and undermine the international legal order.

The ICC said the move followed previous sanctions against 13 of its judges and prosecutors, adding that the latest measures targeted an independent judicial institution established by treaty.

The court, which has 125 member states, investigates and prosecutes genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression.

ICC President Tomoko Akane said the institution would continue its work despite the sanctions.

“The Court will continue to fully discharge its mandate, with independence and impartiality, acting only on the basis of the law and the evidence, for the sake of the countless victims of grave crimes,” Akane said.

The court said the sanctions were intended to disrupt its operations and intimidate people working for or cooperating with it.

It added that the measures challenged the principle that no individual should be above the law.

The ICC called on its member states to take concrete steps to ensure it had the resources needed to continue its investigations and prosecutions.

It said the Rome Statute, which established the court, represented a collective commitment by member states to ensure that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community did not go unpunished.

The court acknowledged that the sanctions could create challenges but said it had taken steps with member states to maintain its operations.

The statement urged countries to defend the international legal order and support the institution as it faces the restrictions.

“No one should be punished for serving the cause of justice,” the court said, warning that the response of the international community would shape the future of international justice.

The sanctions follow longstanding disagreements between Washington and the ICC over the court’s jurisdiction and investigations involving US personnel and Israeli officials.