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US sanctions international criminal court president and prosecutor
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- The US has sanctioned Tomoko Akane, president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and Abdoulaye Seye, a senior ICC prosecutor, for investigating alleged war crimes committed by Israel during the Gaza conflict.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized the ICC as a "corrupt and fatally politicized" institution that exceeds its mandate, and called on member countries to withdraw from the court.
- The sanctions are part of a broader US effort to "disable" the ICC's ability to investigate American personnel or allies, reflecting longstanding US opposition to ICC jurisdiction over non-member states like the US and Israel.
- Previous US sanctions targeted ICC prosecutor Karim Khan after he sought arrest warrants for Israeli officials, and the US has designated at least 11 ICC officials in relation to investigations including those into US military actions in Afghanistan.
- Human rights groups have sued former President Trump over these sanctions, arguing they hinder victims' access to justice for war crimes.
