US Imposes Sanctions on International Criminal Court President and Senior Lawyer
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced new sanctions against the president and a senior lawyer of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The measures target ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal. Rubio stated that the sanctions were imposed due to their involvement in the court's efforts to "prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction."
The move represents the latest escalation in the Trump administration's campaign to "dismantle" the international tribunal, which is backed by 125 member countries. Rubio accused the court of being "a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate," adding that the US "will not tolerate its assault on state sovereignty." Neither President Trump nor the White House has commented on the latest announcement.
In response, the ICC defended its personnel, stating that measures targeting its judges, prosecutors, and staff "undermine the rule of law." The court warned that "when judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk."
Escalating Sanctions and Retaliation
The Trump administration has now sanctioned at least 11 ICC officials, including nine judges and the chief prosecutor. The penalties include asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on receiving services from U.S. companies. These measures severely restrict the personal and financial activities of those targeted, as any banks with ties to the US or those conducting transactions in dollars are expected to comply with the restrictions.
The sanctions were originally initiated in retaliation for ICC investigations into US personnel in Afghanistan, as well as arrest warrants issued against senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Netanyahu has denied the allegations, accusing the court of being motivated by antisemitism. Neither the United States nor Israel are members of the ICC. However, Palestine became a member of the court in 2015, opening the way for investigations into alleged crimes committed on Palestinian territory.
Trump's opposition to the ICC dates back to his first term in office, during which he labeled the court a "threat" and declared to the UN General Assembly that it has "no jurisdiction, no legitimacy, and no authority" regarding the US. Last month, Rubio urged the ICC's 125 member states to withdraw from the body, with a US official noting that Washington would "watch with interest" to see which nations complied.
Legal Challenges and Human Rights Backlash
The administration's aggressive stance has drawn significant pushback from human rights organisations and legal professionals. Liz Evenson, the international justice director at Human Rights Watch, criticized the policy, stating that "the Trump administration seeks a get-out-of-jail-free card for whomever it chooses."
Four prominent US human rights groups—Human Rights Watch, the Open Society Institute, the American Friends Service Committee, and the Center for Constitutional Rights—have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in New York. The lawsuit challenges the campaign as unconstitutional, arguing that the sanctions prevent them from collaborating with the ICC to seek justice for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
Additionally, three ICC judges—Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin—filed a lawsuit in a New York federal court in June. They argued that the sanctions imposed on them last year were unlawful and intended to exert extrajudicial pressure to punish and coerce them. At the time, a White House official defended the measures, stating that Trump had lawfully exercised his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Established in 2002, the ICC holds international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity when member states are involved or when a situation is referred by the UN Security Council. Despite this mandate, Rubio has maintained a highly adversarial position, accusing the court in a July video statement of "waging a war against our country" through "so-called international law" and warning that the US would defend its sovereignty.
