UN Experts Demand US End ICC Sanctions as International Justice Faces Growing Pressure

UN human rights experts have called on the United States to immediately withdraw sanctions imposed on International Criminal Court personnel, warning that the widening measures could weaken the Court's ability to investigate serious international crimes while placing judges, prosecutors, lawyers, victims and organisations working with the institution under growing pressure. Their appeal follows new US sanctions announced on 18 August against ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane of Japan and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, bringing the number of current or former ICC judges and personnel sanctioned under US Executive Order 14203 to 11.

The experts described the situation as an urgent challenge for countries that support international criminal accountability, arguing that the ICC cannot be expected to withstand such pressure without practical support from its Member States and other governments committed to its work. They urged countries to move beyond statements of concern and take measures that reduce the financial, professional and operational effects of sanctions on Court personnel.

Experts Warn Sanctions Could Undermine Decades of International Justice

The ICC was created after decades of efforts to build international mechanisms capable of holding individuals accountable for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other grave offences, drawing on the legacy of the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials and later international tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. UN experts warned that attempts to weaken the institution could reverse hard-won progress against impunity and reduce opportunities for victims seeking justice, accountability and reparation when national systems are unable or unwilling to provide them.

Their concerns have intensified following what they described as a US Government pledge to 'systematically dismantle the ICC,' a policy the experts said rests on an erroneous argument that the Court threatens US sovereignty. The latest designation is especially significant because it reaches the ICC's highest judicial office, placing the Court's president directly under sanctions alongside another member of its legal staff.

Banks, Businesses and NGOs Could Feel the Wider Impact

The experts said the consequences may extend well beyond the individuals named in sanctions, particularly when banks, service providers, companies and other organisations restrict dealings with sanctioned personnel because they fear legal or financial exposure. Such over-compliance could make everyday professional activity harder for ICC staff and potentially disrupt organisations, lawyers and other actors that need to communicate or work with the Court.

They called on the European Union to activate its Blocking Statute to prevent EU operators from complying with third-country sanctions that violate international law, while urging ICC Member States to ratify and use the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the ICC as another way to reduce the impact of the measures. Governments were also encouraged to work together so businesses within their jurisdictions do not impose restrictions beyond those legally required.

The experts raised particular concern about the possible effect on victims and their advocates, who may become reluctant to engage with ICC personnel if they fear penalties connected with transactions or other forms of cooperation. NGOs have also been affected by sanctions, according to the experts, creating another source of uncertainty for civil society organisations involved in international justice and human rights work.

Member States Urged to Protect the Court and Those Who Work With It

UN experts called for coordinated action from ICC Member States to protect judges, prosecutors, lawyers, staff and people who engage with the institution, arguing that preserving the Court requires operational and political support at a moment of exceptional pressure. They also expressed regret that six ICC Member States have recently indicated an intention to withdraw from the Court and urged those governments to reconsider their decisions.

The statement repeated the experts' condemnation of US sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territory occupied since 1967, which they said were imposed in response to her work as an independent UN expert appointed by the Human Rights Council.

For people affected by some of the world's gravest crimes, the dispute carries consequences far beyond diplomatic tensions between governments and international institutions. The experts warned that sanctions against people responsible for investigating and judging international crimes risk sending a chilling message to victims who depend on independent justice systems when other routes to accountability have failed.

The experts said they remain in contact with the US Government about their concerns, while insisting that sanctions against ICC justice personnel should be withdrawn and that countries supporting the Court need to act quickly to protect its ability to function.