UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over the United States' imposition of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC). According to his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres criticized the decision, which was announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio vowed to "dismantle the ICC, brick by brick" unless it ends what Washington regards as a "threat" to its citizens. Guterres was alarmed by the expected impact on the court's ability to perform its mandates.
The UN chief described the sanctions as "a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar". He reiterated his unwavering support for the independence of the court and its officials and called on all States to uphold their commitments under international law. The UN remains committed to cooperating with the ICC under the relationship agreement approved by the General Assembly on September 13, 2004.
The ICC responded forcefully to the sanctions, calling the step unprecedented. The court described the measure as "an assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order". The sanctions, the court said, were aimed at disrupting its operations and intimidating those who work for or cooperate with the court. The ICC has already faced sanctions from the U.S. against 13 of its judges and prosecutors.
Despite the sanctions, the ICC vowed to continue discharging its mandate with independence and impartiality. ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court would act only on the basis of the law and the evidence for the sake of the countless victims of grave crimes. The court acknowledged that it cannot stand alone and that its fate now rests in the hands of the states that created it.
The Rome Statute's promise "is only as strong as the resolve of those who made it", the ICC said. "No one should be punished for serving the cause of justice. History will judge this moment," it added. Rubio announced the sanctions, saying the U.S. would "ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate".
Independent UN human rights experts warned that the U.S. sanctions were a "brash attempt" to dismantle a collective international legal system to hold perpetrators of the gravest crimes to account. They called on states committed to the rule of law to stand together in defence of the court and its independence. The experts added that the attack "directly injures the victims of atrocities and their advocates, who rely on the ICC for justice, accountability and reparation".
The UN Human Rights Council-appointed experts, who are not employed by the UN and receive no salary for their work, urged states not to place themselves beyond the reach of the law by intimidating the court. They emphasized that sanctioning the institution entrusted with delivering justice for the gravest international crimes is an assault on the foundations of international accountability and rule of law.
Key points
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemns US sanctions on International Criminal Court
- ICC vows to continue discharging its mandate despite US sanctions
- UN human rights experts warn of assault on international accountability and rule of law
