ICC Slams US Sanctions as 'Blatant Attack' on Court's Independence

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has voiced its opposition after the administration of US President Donald Trump placed President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye on a sanctions list, calling the move a 'blatant attack' on the court's independence.

The ICC's reaction came on Wednesday (August 19), following the US imposition of sanctions on the two officials as part of a campaign against what Washington described as 'a corrupt and deeply politicized organization.'

President Akane, a Japanese judge, has served as ICC president since March 2024. Lawyer Seye is a Senegalese national working at the Hague-based tribunal.

In a statement, the ICC said: 'These sanctions are a blatant attack on the independence of an impartial judicial institution. Such measures targeting judges, prosecutors, and staff undermine the rule of law.'

Washington's latest move follows earlier sanctions on several ICC officials, largely linked to the court's investigations involving Israel, a US ally.

Japan also voiced opposition to the sanctions. Foreign Ministry spokesman Toshihiro Kitamura said the country 'has always supported the ICC in its efforts to prosecute and punish the most serious crimes of international concern, as well as to uphold the rule of law.' Japan is the ICC's largest donor and a close US ally.

The European Union (EU) also expressed support for President Akane. In social media posts, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa affirmed they 'stand firmly by' President Akane and senior officials, who 'must be able to operate independently and without external pressure.'

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the sanctioned individuals had 'directly participated in the ICC's efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials of governments without their consent to the ICC's jurisdiction.' He did not provide specific examples.

The ICC responded on Tuesday (August 18), saying: 'When judicial figures are threatened for applying the law, the international legal order itself is at risk.'

Established in 2002, the ICC prosecutes individuals accused of the most serious crimes and serves as a court of last resort when nations lack adequate legal systems to ensure justice.

The Trump administration previously imposed sanctions on ICC officials after the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2024 related to the genocide war in Gaza. Those measures barred them from entering the US and conducting transactions within the US financial system.

Last month, Washington launched a major diplomatic campaign against the ICC, accusing it of 'threatening' US citizens and urging partners to withdraw from the organization – a move announced by Chad and Venezuela. The ICC expressed concern over these withdrawals, suggesting they could undermine collective efforts to pursue justice.

The US signed the Rome Statute that established the ICC but never ratified the treaty. Israel and Russia are also not ICC members.

Last week, four human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, sued President Trump in a New York court over the sanctions targeting the ICC, arguing that the measures prevent victims of war crimes from accessing justice.

Earlier, in 2023, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin related to the war in Ukraine, prompting Moscow to issue arrest warrants for senior court officials, including President Akane.