The statement comes after the US president imposed punitive measures on the court for going after Israel’s PM and ex-defense chief
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has said it will continue to operate despite being sanctioned by US President Donald Trump.
The Hague-based ICC was established through the 2002 Rome Statute, to which 125 countries are parties. The US, Israel, Russia, China, India and others do not recognize the court’s jurisdiction.
In a statement on Friday, the ICC said it “condemns the issuance by the US of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials.” The entity stressed that it “stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world.”
That same day, 79 nations, including Brazil, France, Germany, South Africa and Spain issued a joint statement, expressing “regret” at “attempts to undermine the court’s independence, integrity and impartiality.” The signatories reaffirmed their “continued and unwavering support” for the ICC.
President Trump signed the executive order imposing sanctions on the ICC on Thursday. The document states that the court has “set a dangerous precedent” by targeting US nationals as well as senior Israeli officials. The entity “abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant,” the order clarified, referring to the ICC’s decision in November. The international body accuses the two of using starvation as a method of warfare in Gaza.
Trump believes that the ICC’s actions undermine the “critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States government and our allies, including Israel.”
The executive order envisages financial and visa-related sanctions on individuals and the immediate family members of those who support ICC investigations into citizens of the US or its allies.
The Guardian, citing sources within the organization, reported last month that Washington’s measures could affect the ICC’s access to banking systems, IT infrastructure, and insurance providers, posing an “existential threat” to its operations.
The US previously slapped sanctions on then-ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda after the court attempted to investigate alleged American war crimes in Afghanistan in 2020.
