Alarm at UN over sanctions threatened by US on international criminal court
Summary
The United States plans to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), which could harm its functioning. At a United Nations meeting, officials from several countries warned that these sanctions threaten the independence of the court, which prosecutes serious crimes worldwide.Key Facts
- The US has already sanctioned ICC judges, including its head, Judge Tomoko Akane, and senior prosecutor Abdoulaye Seye.
- The US accuses the ICC of exceeding its authority and attacking state sovereignty.
- The next US move may include secondary sanctions against anyone cooperating with the ICC, affecting banks, insurers, and tech companies linked to it.
- The ICC is based in the Netherlands, whose government leads efforts opposing US sanctions on the court.
- South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola warned that sanctions on the ICC institution would disrupt its work and independence.
- The ICC was created to prosecute the worst crimes under international law, following examples like the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials.
- Some experts stress the importance of strengthening the ICC and maintaining its independence despite political pressures.
- Concerns were raised about the selective use of international law by powerful countries, undermining its fairness.
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