Published on: 2026-08-19
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 19, 2026 International Law
The International Criminal Court expressed regret over the US administration’s decision to impose sanctions on ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane (Japan) and senior lawyer of the Prosecutor’s Office Abdoulaye Seck (Senegal).
The official statement of the Court says that “the sanctions constitute a gross encroachment on the independence of an impartial judicial body, acting under a mandate granted to it by the States Parties from various regions of the world.”
To date, the United States has already imposed sanctions on nine of the 18 judges, both Deputy Prosecutors, the former Prosecutor, and one staff member of the judicial apparatus.
“Such measures aimed against judges, prosecutors, and officials working to fulfill the mandate entrusted to the ICC by states undermine the rule of law,” the statement emphasizes.
The ICC also noted that such measures against representatives of judicial bodies threaten “the very international legal order itself” and affect the ability of “victims to seek justice, as they turn to the Court only when all other avenues have been exhausted.”
“As previously noted, the Court has no intention of deviating from its principles and firmly supports its staff as well as the victims of unimaginable atrocities. The Court will continue to fully carry out its mandate, maintaining independence and impartiality, in strict accordance with the Rome Statute and in the interests of victims of international crimes,” the statement says.
The ICC is a separate entity from the UN, which cooperates with the Organization based on a special agreement.
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