Former prosecutor calls for EU statute blocking US sanctions on ICC members
Summary
A former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has urged the European Union to create a law blocking U.S. sanctions against ICC members. These U.S. sanctions were imposed after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The former prosecutor said the sanctions harm judges and threaten the independence of the court.Key Facts
- In February 2025, the U.S. sanctioned 11 ICC officials, including judges and the chief prosecutor, along with three Palestinian groups.
- Sanctions include travel bans and freezing of assets, preventing judges and their families from using European financial systems.
- The sanctions followed the ICC’s 2024 decision to issue arrest warrants for members of the Israeli cabinet.
- Fatou Bensouda, ICC prosecutor from 2012 to 2021, called the sanctions “bullying” and an attempt to interfere with international justice.
- She criticized slow reactions from ICC member states, especially the Dutch government, which hosts the ICC in The Hague.
- Bensouda warned that ongoing sanctions could cause qualified professionals to avoid working at the ICC, weakening the court.
- She proposed that states create legal protections and financial support systems for ICC officials facing sanctions.
- Bensouda specifically called on the EU to use its blocking statute to protect ICC members from U.S. sanctions.
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