The president of the International Criminal Court on Friday hit out at the announced US sanctions against her institution, describing them as “serious attacks” against the global law-based order.
US President Donald Trump‘s order against the court was “the latest in a series of unprecedented and escalatory attacks aiming to undermine the Court’s ability to administer justice”, said Tomoko Akane in a statement.
“Such threats and coercive measures constitute serious attacks against the Court’s States Parties, the rule of law based international order and millions of victims,” she added.
On Thursday, Trump signed an Executive Order placing sanctions on the ICC, angry over its probe into alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
The measures included asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their family members, along with anyone deemed to have helped the court’s investigations.
“We firmly reject any attempt to influence the independence and the impartiality of the Court or to politicise our judicial function,” said Akane.
She said she had noted with “deep regret” Trump’s order and stressed that the ICC is “indispensable” given the atrocities being committed around the world.