US imposes sweeping sanctions on International Criminal Court

The United States imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, barring transactions with the Hague-based tribunal and giving American companies and individuals six months to end business dealings with it.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the measures would cut the ICC off from US dollars, financial services and technology providers. He accused the court of improperly asserting jurisdiction over Americans and Israelis, neither of whose countries belongs to the ICC, and warned that Washington would seek to dismantle the institution unless it changed course.

The sanctions follow earlier US measures against individual ICC judges and prosecutors over investigations involving the United States and Israel. The court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged crimes in Gaza and previously investigated the conduct of US forces in Afghanistan.

The ICC rejected the sanctions as an attempt to obstruct justice and “an assault on the rule of law.” ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court would continue carrying out its mandate independently and impartially.

The European Union called the US action “deeply regrettable” and said it was prepared to take necessary measures to keep the court operating. One potential response is the EU’s blocking mechanism, which could prohibit European companies from complying with the sanctions.

The announcement came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay of South Africa received the Nobel Peace Prize. The US decision had been made before the Nobel announcement, Euronews reported. Pillay has also led the Rwanda genocide tribunal and currently serves as a judge at the International Court of Justice.