WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has imposed sweeping new sanctions against International Criminal Court as part of his campaign to dismantle the tribunal investigating the United States and its allies, including Israel.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions Friday, after the The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the South African lawyer Navi Pillayformer judge of the ICC and other international tribunals. Trump coveted this award for himself.
“We will prohibit transactions with this rogue court, cutting off its resources and crippling its ability to operate against us,” Rubio said in a video address posted on social media. “The United States and the American people are not subject to the jurisdiction of this fake ICC. »
The sanctions cut the court off from U.S.-based financial services and technology companies and even from use of the U.S. dollar. They set a six-month deadline for American companies and individuals that have business dealings with the court to cease their activities.
The ICC denounced the move as an attack on the rule of law and the foundations of the international order, themes that Rubio had raised. seemed to kiss just two days ago, in a speech in front of the Acropolis in Athens.
“This is an attempt to obstruct the course of justice and prevent the court from doing what it was created to do,” the court said in a statement. “This is an attack on the rule of law and the very foundations of the international legal order, which undermines the simple principle that no one is above the law. »
ICC President Tomoko Akane, a citizen of U.S. ally Japan, said the court “will continue to fulfill its mandate fully, with independence and impartiality, acting solely on the law and evidence, in the interests of the countless victims of serious crimes.”
She also appealed for support from other members of the ICC. “It is not just about defending a single institution, but about safeguarding the international order based on the rule of law. »
Rights groups have also denounced the sanctions.
“This existential attack must fail,” said Erika Guevara Rosas, senior director of Amnesty International. “States must take concrete steps to resist the imposition of these measures and actively protect the Court. »
The host country of the Court, the Netherlands, is I’ve been preparing for weeks for the move. One possible measure to mitigate sanctions is the EU’s “blocking law”, which could be used to protect European court staff by preventing European companies from complying with US measures. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen called the blocking law a “nuclear option” to counter possible sanctions, but said the Netherlands was in talks with the European Commission to ensure that, if necessary, it could be adopted quickly.
In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom expressed their strong disagreement with the US sanctions.
“We will continue to work together to support the vital work of the Court, defend the international rules-based system and advance accountability,” the statement said.
“If implemented, these sanctions will have a significant impact on the work of the Court, its dedicated staff and their families. They work every day to bring to justice those accused of the most serious international crimes and to support their victims.”
Rubio said U.S. allies should join U.S. actions. “If they do not, the United States will continue its campaign to dismantle the ICC, piece by piece, until Americans are no longer threatened,” he said.
A number of countries have removed from court this year, notably Venezuela and Chad. The South Pacific island nation of Naoero was the latest to announce plans to withdraw.
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Quell was reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writer Mike Corder contributed from The Hague.
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