U.S. Sanctions ICC President in Fresh Escalation Against Court

Washington widens its pressure campaign

The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, extending a campaign aimed at curbing the Hague-based tribunal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Japanese judge and Senegalese lawyer had participated in efforts to pursue officials from countries that had not accepted the court’s jurisdiction.bbc +1

The measures freeze any U.S. assets held by the two officials and restrict their access to transactions involving the American financial system. They also add to sanctions already imposed on at least 11 court officials, including judges and the chief prosecutor.aljazeera +1

Sovereignty claims collide with territorial jurisdiction

Washington says the ICC has exceeded its mandate by pursuing personnel from the United States and Israel, neither of which is a member. The court’s founding statute, however, permits cases involving alleged crimes committed on the territory of a member state even when the accused is a citizen of a non-member country.aljazeera +1

The dispute has focused heavily on the Gaza war. The ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes; Netanyahu denies wrongdoing and rejects the court’s authority. Seye worked on the prosecution team that sought Netanyahu’s warrant, while earlier U.S. sanctions also cited the court’s investigation of American personnel in Afghanistan.theguardian +1

Rubio called the ICC “corrupt and fatally politicized” and has urged its 125 member countries to leave. The administration says its objective is to prevent the court from targeting American service members, officials or allies, while rights groups argue the sanctions obstruct accountability for grave crimes.theguardian +1

The court says the legal order is at risk

The ICC said it remained undeterred and warned that targeting judges, prosecutors and staff for carrying out their mandate “undermine[s] the rule of law.” It said threats against judicial officials place the international legal order itself at risk.france24 +1

The Netherlands, which hosts the court, also objected. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen invited Akane to discuss continued support and said international tribunals must be free to perform their mandates.aljazeera

The sanctions deepen a practical threat as well as a diplomatic one. Banks with U.S. links or dollar business are expected to comply, making routine financial transactions difficult for designated officials. Three ICC judges sued the Trump administration in June, and four human-rights groups filed another challenge last week, arguing the pressure campaign is unlawful and blocks victims from seeking justice.bbc +1