ICC rejects US sanctions as world condemns Washington’s assault on international justice

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected new sanctions imposed by the United States, denouncing the move as a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice and undermine the international legal order.

The announcement, made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hours after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to former ICC judge Navi Pillay, has sparked widespread global condemnation.

Rubio threatened to ban transactions with what he branded a "rogue court," declaring, "Either the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC."

The bans are part of a broader pressure campaign against the court by the Donald Trump administration, driven by the ICC's arrest warrants for Israeli regime leader Benjamin Netanyahu and the court's ongoing probe into potential US war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

In a statement, the ICC declared that the sanctions target an independent judicial institution entrusted by 125 States Parties with investigating genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

"This measure is an assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order which strikes at the simple principle that no one stands above the law," the court stated, noting that the designation is aimed at disrupting the court's operations and intimidating those who cooperate with it.

ICC President Tomoko Akane affirmed that the court "will not be deterred" and will continue to discharge its mandate with independence and impartiality for the sake of countless victims.

However, the court also issued a warning to the international community, emphasizing that its fate rests in the hands of the States that created it.

"The Rome Statute is a collective promise that the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole must not go unpunished," the statement read.

"History will judge this moment. Future generations, and above all the victims of mass atrocities, will ask whether the Court held firm and whether the international community defended the principles it proclaimed."

'Serious blow' to justice

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres swiftly condemned the sanctions, describing them as a "serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice."

Through his spokesman, Guterres expressed deep alarm at the expected impact of the measures on the court's ability to perform its mandate, including situations referred to it by the Security Council.

He reiterated his unwavering support for the independence of the court and its officials.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also weighed in, stating that the sanctions, which are "the latest in a series of retaliatory steps against the ICC and its personnel," are unacceptable.

The US announcement has provoked widespread international criticism, with European nations and key ICC member states rallying behind the court.

The Netherlands, the ICC's host country, described the sanctions as "deeply regrettable," with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten emphasizing the need to use the six-month period before the sanctions take effect for vital dialogue with Washington.

The European Union echoed these sentiments, vowing to work closely with the ICC to ensure it continues to operate effectively.

A joint statement from the foreign ministers of Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Netherlands expressed strong disagreement with the US decision, reaffirming their unwavering support for the court.

‘US bans meant to shield Netanyahu’

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) issued a response to the US decision, condemning it as a grave assault on international justice and a blatant attempt to protect Netanyahu and the occupation's leaders from accountability for war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip.

"The praise by Netanyahu—who is wanted by the ICC—for this decision reveals his fear from the path of accountability and his pursuit to evade being brought to the Court," the statement read.

Hamas emphasized that targeting the ICC for fulfilling its responsibility to pursue perpetrators of the most serious international crimes will not deter it from performing its duty.

The movement called upon countries worldwide, particularly states parties to the Rome Statute, to reject the sanctions, support the ICC, and take practical measures to protect its judges and staff.

"Defending justice requires steps that go beyond condemnation and prevent perpetrators of war crimes from going unpunished," the statement concluded.