Amid US sanctions, dozens of countries vow support to ICC
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A group of almost 80 countries issued a joint statement reaffirming their continuous and unwavering support for the ICC's independence, impartiality, and integrity.
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Exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, on June 26, 2024 (AP)
Dozens of nations declared "unwavering support" for the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday, a day after US President Donald Trump imposed potentially broad economic and travel penalties against the court's officials.
The US sanctions were enacted in response to the ICC issuing arrest warrants back in November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Security Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes in Gaza.
A group of almost 80 countries issued a joint statement reaffirming their continuous and unwavering support for the ICC's independence, impartiality, and integrity.
"The court serves as a vital pillar of the international justice system by ensuring accountability for the most serious international crimes, and justice for victims."
France, Germany, and the United Kingdom all agreed on the statement while Australia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Italy were missing.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had already expressed his support for Trump's action, which coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington, where he is sought by the ICC for the war crimes committed in Gaza.
Trump's penalties target those who cooperate on ICC investigations involving US citizens or allies like "Israel".
According to a post on X, Orban expressed it was "time for Hungary to review what we're doing in an international organization that is under U.S. sanctions! New winds are blowing in international politics. We call it the Trump-tornado."
The Netherlands, the court's home nation, pledged to continue supporting the ICC's work and expressed regret regarding the sanctions.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof told reporters the sanctions could make the court's work "very hard", and in some cases impossible.
European Union warns sanctions on ICC threaten international justice
The European Union (EU) warned that sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) are a threat to the court's independence, and more broadly the judicial system, after Trump authorized economic and travel sanctions on people working on ICC investigations of US allies like "Israel".
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other EU leaders criticized Trump's decision with Scholz saying sanctions are the "Wrong tool," explaining how they jeopardize an institution that is supposed to ensure that the dictators of this world cannot simply persecute people and start wars, and that is very important."
The European Commission expressed regret, saying that the ICC plays an essential part in upholding international law, and Trump's executive order threatens ongoing investigations and proceedings related to Ukraine.
Trump signed the executive order imposing sanctions on Thursday, saying that The Hague abused its power by issuing the arrest warrants for the Israeli PM and that the tribunal engaged in "illegitimate and baseless actions" targeting the United States and "Israel".
