Published on: 2026-07-14
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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July 14, 2026 International law
The United Nations has once again reaffirmed the key role of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the global fight against impunity for serious crimes – amid calls to abolish this institution. The Court considers cases of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other international violations.
At a regular press briefing of the official spokesperson of the UN Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric, he was asked whether the head of the Organization intends to comment on the report that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeks to “dismantle” the ICC.
“Although the ICC is an organization separate from the Secretariat and the UN, it remains a crucial link in the international justice system for us,” Dujarric said.
“It is supported by a significant number of member states, and it contributes to holding those responsible for serious crimes accountable,” he added.
The United States is not a participant in the Rome Statute—a 1998 treaty that established the ICC, whose headquarters are located in The Hague, Netherlands.
Rubio outlined his plans in an article published in The Wall Street Journal, emphasizing sovereignty and independence. “America has never agreed to the existence of a world tribunal capable of overturning the decisions of our own courts and Constitution,” he wrote.
International law is “under attack”
According to Rubio, the United States “is starting a diplomatic campaign with a simple message: sovereign states are against globalism.” Last year, Washington imposed sanctions on nine ICC officials – including judges, the prosecutor, and his deputies – in connection with the investigation of alleged war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and by Israel in Gaza.
In his article, Rubio emphasized that “independence is our inalienable right,” and the United States does not intend to “exchange it for the power of a self-proclaimed priesthood of ‘international law’.”
Dujarric was asked whether the Secretary-General agrees with such an interpretation of the system on which the UN Charter is based.
“International law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were created by sovereign member states,” he noted. “They have contributed to the protection of millions of people and eased their plight, and today, as the Secretary-General has repeatedly emphasized, they face threats and attacks.”
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