Foreign News
UN chief, European leaders condemn US sanctions on ICC leadership
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced “serious concern” regarding the US decision to impose sanctions on high-ranking officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“The secretary-general expresses serious concern about this designation, as well as the ongoing designation of other International Criminal Court employees,” spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Wednesday.
He emphasised that the UN views the ICC as a “key pillar of international criminal justice” and maintains full respect for its operations.
Meanwhile, several European leaders also raised concerns on Wednesday over the sanctions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said they stood firmly with the court, ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and the officials who uphold the court’s mission.
“The ICC helps deliver justice to the victims of some of the world’s most horrific crimes. To carry out this essential work, its judges and officials must be able to act independently and without external pressure,” they wrote in a statement on X.
‘Under no circumstances’
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas reiterated the bloc’s “unwavering support” for the ICC, highlighting that it is “a cornerstone of the international criminal justice system and the global fight against impunity.”
“The EU deeply regrets the decision by the United States to impose sanctions against International Criminal Court President Judge Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye,” Kallas said in a statement issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS) – the bloc’s diplomatic arm.
She stressed that the court’s independence, impartiality and ability to carry out its mandate must be free from “pressure, intimidation or interference.”
“Sanctions against the Court, its officials and personnel undermine its work. The EU stands firmly with the ICC and will continue to provide its full support to ensure the protection of the Court and its staff against external pressures or threats,” Kallas added.
In a statement to Anadolu, the British Foreign Office also stressed that the UK supports the court’s independence.
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office noted that the UK is “determined that those responsible for the most serious international crimes are held to account.”
German foreign ministry deputy spokesperson Martin Giese told a news conference in Berlin that Germany stands by the ICC and its president.
