The Trump administration's decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been met with a wave of international condemnation. At least 10 countries and international organizations, including key US allies, have denounced the move and stressed the need to support the court's independence.
The foreign ministers of seven G7 countries—Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom—issued a joint statement expressing deep regret over the US decision. They warned that the sanctions could severely impact the vital activities of the court, its staff, and their families.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called the decision "a major blow to the collective effort to achieve international justice." The European Commission also condemned the action, stating it would continue its close cooperation with the ICC to ensure its effective functioning.
Belgium and Switzerland individually condemned the sanctions as well. Belgium's foreign minister stated that attempting to paralyze the court's activities blocks victims' access to justice and announced he would raise the issue at the EU level.
Amnesty International released a strong statement urging countries to stand up to the US decision. The organization warned that fear and reluctance by states to confront this move could embolden those seeking to undermine international justice.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, a senior director at Amnesty International, highlighted the ICC's important decisions, including issuing arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and described the sanctions as an attempt to disable this crucial judicial body.
The U.S. government, which is not a member of the court, does not recognize its jurisdiction to investigate its citizens or those of its allies, like Israel. The sanctions were imposed following the court's investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and Palestine.
Source: International news reports
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