International locations condemn US sanctions on the ICC alleging impunity for severe crimes and weakening worldwide legislation.
Donald Trump’s choice to sanction the Worldwide Legal Court docket (ICC) will increase the “threat of impunity” for severe crimes, 79 events to the worldwide tribunal have mentioned.
In a statement on Friday, a gaggle of 79 international locations – about two-thirds of the courtroom’s membership – affirmed its help for the ICC and mentioned that sanctions would weaken worldwide legislation after Trump signed an govt order sanctioning the courtroom for investigating Israel.
“Such measures enhance the chance of impunity for essentially the most severe crimes and threaten to erode the worldwide rule of legislation, which is essential for selling international order and safety,” mentioned the joint assertion, led by Slovenia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sierra Leone and Vanuatu.
They have been joined by dozens of different nations, together with the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Brazil and Bangladesh.
“At this time, the Court docket is going through unprecedented challenges,” the assertion warned, after Trump on Tuesday ordered asset freezes and journey bans towards ICC officers, staff and their relations, together with anybody deemed to have helped the courtroom’s investigations.
“Sanctions might jeopardize the confidentiality of delicate data and the protection of these concerned, together with victims, witnesses, and Court docket officers, a lot of whom are our nationals. As sturdy supporters of the ICC, we remorse any makes an attempt to undermine the Court docket’s independence, integrity and impartiality.”
Whereas the US has lengthy pitched itself because the guarantor of a world order that promotes human rights and the rule of legislation, it has often attacked efforts by worldwide our bodies to probe alleged abuses by the US and its allies.
Within the govt order imposing sanctions, the Trump administration mentioned that it will deliver “tangible and important penalties” for “illegitimate and baseless actions focusing on America and our shut ally Israel”.
Whereas Trump is the primary US president to sanction the ICC, his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden additionally thought of the use of sanctions to penalise the courtroom for investigating Israel.
In November, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged conflict crimes in Gaza, the place Israel has carried out a scorched earth marketing campaign that has killed 1000’s, levelled complete neighbourhoods, displaced thousands and thousands of individuals, and included the widespread denial of humanitarian assist.
A minimum of 61,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli assaults, most of them ladies and kids, a determine that’s anticipated to rise significantly as rescue staff search through the rubble for undiscovered our bodies.
The ICC additionally issued arrest warrants for leaders of the Palestinian armed group Hamas for alleged conflict crimes dedicated throughout an assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
“Trump’s Worldwide Legal Court docket sanctions put the US on the facet of conflict criminals at expense of victims,” Omar Shakir, Israel-Palestine director at Human Rights Watch mentioned. “Sanctions are for perpetrators – not these working to carry them to account. States ought to defend the ICC for doing its job: making certain nobody is above the legislation.”
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof mentioned his nation would search to make sure the ICC, primarily based in The Hague, might proceed to function regardless of introduced US sanctions.
“In fact, because the host nation, we’ve got a accountability to ensure the unhindered functioning of the legal courtroom always. And we’ll preserve doing that,” Schoof informed reporters, describing the transfer as a “disturbing sign and really regrettable” with probably “important implications” for the ICC’s independence and ongoing investigations.
“The Netherlands stands by the Worldwide Legal Court docket. We’ll proceed to help it. We’re the host nation. We’re additionally happy with the Netherlands and in addition of The Hague as a metropolis for peace and justice. The ICC is an express a part of that. And we’ll do every thing we will to make sure that the ICC can fulfil its duties.”
