International Criminal Court vows to continue investigations despite US sanctions
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has pledged to continue its investigations and prosecutions despite new sanctions announced by the United States, with one of its senior officials condemning the measures as an attempt to undermine international justice and the independence of the judiciary.
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the sanctions should be condemned, arguing that they threaten the international rule of law and seek to weaken an independent judicial institution. In comments to Reuters, she stressed that the court would continue handling the cases before it, along with its ongoing investigations and prosecutions.
The sanctions were announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Washington had delayed taking action in the hope that the court would change its approach. However, he argued that neither the ICC nor its member states had taken meaningful steps to address US concerns.
Rubio issued a strong warning to the court, calling on it to abandon what he described as threatening actions. He also vowed that Washington would continue its campaign against the institution, urging US allies that are members of the ICC to take measures to restrain its activities.
The announcement came just hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay reportedly received the Nobel Peace Prize, adding to tensions surrounding the court and its role in international accountability. The timing placed renewed attention on the wider dispute between Washington and the institution.
Under the sanctions, property and financial interests belonging to the ICC that fall under US jurisdiction are subject to freezing measures. However, the US Treasury Department also issued four general licences authorising certain transactions related to communications, software, employee pensions and individuals detained by the court.
The licences establish limited exceptions to the restrictions, allowing specific activities to continue under the conditions set out by the US authorities. Their practical effect will depend on the scope of the authorised transactions and how the measures are implemented.
Washington has previously imposed sanctions on 17 individuals under Executive Order 14203, which targets the ICC. The US government has argued that the court's actions raise concerns about national sovereignty and the exercise of its jurisdiction.
Based in The Hague in the Netherlands, the ICC has 125 member states and prosecutes individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression under the applicable legal framework. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the court.
The latest measures highlight the continuing tension between US policy and international judicial institutions. While Washington seeks to pressure the court over its activities, ICC officials maintain that their work will continue, underscoring a broader dispute over the independence, authority and limits of international criminal justice.
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