International Criminal Court Members Reject US Sanctions

Over 66 member states of the International Criminal Court (ICC) released Tuesday a diplomatic statement as a response against U.S. sanctions and visa restrictions ordered by President Donald Trump.

RELATED:

International Criminal Court Rejects US Government Sanctions

The joint statement, drafted by Costa Rica and Switzerland, was backed by 66 out of 123 state members after U.S. President Donald Trump authorized sanctions against the ICC workers.

On March 5, 2020, senior judges at the international criminal court authorized an investigation into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, that will look at actions by U.S., Afghan, and Taliban troops.

The ICC judges also approved that the scope of the investigation should include CIA black sites operated in Poland, Lithuania, and Romania, where detainees were taken.

After the decision, Trump tried to prevent the organization from moving forward with the inquiry by signing an executive on June 11, 2020, title "Executive Order on Blocking Property Of Certain Persons Associated with the International Criminal Court."

"The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions, which may include the suspension of entry into the United States of ICC officials, employees, and agents, as well as their immediate family members," reads the executive order, that also includes the blocking of property ICC employees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.

Later, the ICC called the action "the latest in a series of unprecedented attacks on the ICC" that "constitute an escalation and an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law and the Court's judicial proceedings."

However, the statement published today reflects the support of the nations to the court as "an independent and impartial judicial institution."

"We remain committed to an international rules-based order. The ICC is an integral part of this order and the fight against impunity and the pursuit of justice", the statement said.

The International Criminal Court is intended to complement existing national judicial systems and it may, therefore, exercise its jurisdiction only when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute criminals. 

The ICC lacks universal territorial jurisdiction, and may only investigate and prosecute crimes committed within member states, crimes committed by nationals of member states, or crimes in situations referred to the Court by the United Nations Security Council.