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SvennoJ 7 hours ago
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ICC ‘condemns’ US sanctions ‘seeking to harm’ its work

The Hague-based court has hit back after US President Trump slapped sanctions on the institution, promising it would continue to provide “justice and hope” around the world.

“The ICC condemns the issuance by the US of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and harm its independent and impartial judicial work,” the court said in a statement.

“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,” it added.


Countries, rights groups condemn Trump’s ICC sanctions

Caspar Veldkamp, the foreign minister of the Netherlands, has described the International Criminal Court’s work as “essential in the fight against impunity”.

“The Netherlands actively contributes to strengthening the international legal order and multilateral cooperation and will, in good faith, fulfil binding international law and treaty obligations,” he said.

Agnes Callamard, the chief of Amnesty International, a global rights group, has also condemned the decision, describing Trump’s order as “reckless”, “vindictive” and “aggressive”.

She said the US sanctions undermine the court’s “independent pursuit of international justice”.

“Governments around the world and regional organisations must do everything in their power to mitigate and block the effect of President Trump’s sanctions,” Callamard said.

“Through collective and concerted actions, ICC member states can protect the Court and its staff. Urgent action is needed, like never before,” she added.


Indirect implications of Trump’s ICC move ‘can be very serious’: Legal expert

Saul Takahashi, a professor of international human rights law at Osaka Jogakuin University, says the direct impact of the sanctions imposed on the ICC by the US is likely to be very limited.

The court “is not in the United States, it is in The Hague in the Netherlands,” he said, adding 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,” Takahashi stressed.

He said: “We are talking about human rights activists, victims, etc. Those kind of people may be shut out of the US or face penalties.”