U.S. sanctions targeting International Criminal Court officials have drawn reactions from the ICC and the Netherlands. The court described the inclusion of President Tomoko Akane and senior legal official Abdoulaye Seye on the sanctions list as a direct attack on the independence of international justice and an impartial judicial body.
The court said the restrictions imposed on Akane, a Japanese national, and Seye, a Senegalese national, target the independence of the ICC, which is carrying out a mandate given by its member states. It said the court would continue to operate impartially and independently in full compliance with the Rome Statute.
Sanctions coverage expands at ICC
With the new sanctions, 9 of the International Criminal Court’s 18 judges, two deputy prosecutors, a former prosecutor and one staff member have been subjected to U.S. restrictive measures.
The ICC said threats and pressure directed at judges, prosecutors and court staff for carrying out their duties undermine the rule of law. The court stressed that threatening judicial officials who administer justice puts the international legal order at risk.
The court said victims who turned to the ICC in search of justice after exhausting all other avenues were also affected by the pressure. It affirmed its commitment to standing with its staff and victims of international crimes.
The ICC also highlighted the importance of solidarity from member states, civil society and partners that support the rule of law and justice for victims of crime.
Netherlands does not endorse sanctions
Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said the Netherlands did not endorse the latest sanctions imposed on ICC officials and staff. Berendsen said international courts and judicial bodies must be able to carry out their duties freely.
The Dutch foreign minister said he would meet with court President Akane to discuss his country’s steadfast support for the ICC.
Washington’s justification for the sanctions
The U.S. Department of State said Akane and Seye were placed on the sanctions list because they had directly participated in the court’s efforts to investigate and arrest officials from countries that do not recognize its jurisdiction. The department described the ICC as a corrupt and politicized court that abuses its powers.
On November 21, 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly criticized the ICC after the development and called on his allies to withdraw from the court.
Under Article 3 of the Rome Statute, the Netherlands is designated as the official host country of the International Criminal Court and the country where the court’s headquarters are located.
