THE HAGUE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday condemned U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s decision to impose sanctions on its staff, calling the move an attack on its independence and judicial work.
Trump on Thursday authorized economic and travel sanctions targeting individuals involved in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies, including Israel. The action, mirroring steps he took during his first term, was widely seen as a response to the court’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The move came as Netanyahu was visiting Washington.
In a statement, the ICC warned that the sanctions would undermine its ability to carry out its mandate and called on its 125 member states to stand firm in support of justice and human rights.
“The ICC condemns the issuance by the U.S. of an executive order seeking to impose sanctions on its officials and harm its independent and impartial judicial work,” the court said. “The court stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all situations before it. We call on our 125 state parties, civil society, and all nations of the world to stand united for justice and fundamental human rights.”
The Trump administration has long been critical of the ICC, arguing that it lacks jurisdiction over the United States and Israel, which are not members of the court.
