The European Union has declared its firm support for the International Criminal Court following the US imposition of sanctions against its officials.
“The President of the European Council, António Costa, and I strongly support the International Criminal Court, its President, Tomoko Akane, and the officials who ensure the fulfilment of its mission,” wrote European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on social media platform X.
She added that the ICC helps to ensure “justice for the victims of some of the world’s most horrific crimes”; in order to carry out this “extremely important work”, its judges and officials must be able to act “independently and without external pressure”.
António Costa posted a similar message on social media.
On 18 August, the US imposed sanctions on the President of the International Criminal Court, Tomoko Akane, as well as the ICC’s Senior Prosecutor, Abdoulaye Seye.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated that the White House considers the ICC to be “corrupt and fatally politicised”, an organisation that “abuses its powers and exceeds its mandate”.
In July, Rubio promised to ‘dismantle’ the International Criminal Court and called on other countries to join Washington in these efforts. The US State Department clarified that “a comprehensive campaign to address the threat that the ICC poses to US sovereignty” will include a whole-of-government response aimed at systematically depriving the ICC of the ability to “operate, prosecute US military personnel or officials, or otherwise threaten US sovereignty”.
Last August, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on the ICC and lifted restrictions on arms supplies to Israel.
This is the second time the International Criminal Court has faced retaliatory measures from the US. During the first Trump administration in 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on the ICC’s Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and the Director of the Jurisdiction Division, Fakiso Benchocho, in connection with the investigation into alleged war crimes by the US in Afghanistan.
The US and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute, under which the ICC was established in 2002.