UN’s International Criminal Court Says It ‘Strongly Rejects’ New US Sanctions

The United Nations-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) said that it “strongly rejects” the sanctions imposed on four of its judges by the U.S. government on Aug. 20, calling for the Trump administration to reverse course.

“These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all regions,” the ICC said in its statement. “They constitute also an affront against the Court’s States Parties, the rules-based international order and, above all, millions of innocent victims across the world.”

The ICC added that it will stand “firmly behind its personnel and victims of unimaginable atrocities” and will continue to support “its mandate, undeterred, in strict accordance with its legal framework as adopted by the States Parties and without regard to any restriction, pressure or threat.”

The court called for its nation members to “provide firm and consistent support to the Court.”

The response was issued after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Aug. 20 announced sanctions against ICC officials Nicolas Yann Guillou of France, Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji, Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal, and Kimberly Prost of Canada in response to the ICC’s targeting of Israeli leaders and a past decision to investigate U.S. officials.

“The United States has been clear and steadfast in our opposition to the ICC’s politicization, abuse of power, disregard for our national sovereignty, and illegitimate judicial overreach,” Rubio said.

He then called on the 125 nations “that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this bankrupt institution.”

ICC judges issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas terrorist group leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri in November 2024 for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant have denied the charges levied by the ICC.

In March 2020, ICC prosecutors opened an investigation in Afghanistan that included looking into possible crimes by U.S. troops, but since 2021, the ICC has deprioritized the role of the United States and focused on alleged crimes committed by the Afghan government and the Taliban forces.

The United States, Russia, Israel, and China don’t recognize the ICC’s authority. The ICC was established in 2002 to have international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration imposed penalties on former ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who stepped down in May amid allegations of misconduct. Several other tribunal judges have also been sanctioned by the United States this year.

In his first term in office, President Donald Trump’s administration also placed sanctions against the ICC, which were rescinded after President Joe Biden took office in 2021.

When asked for additional comment, an ICC spokesperson directed The Epoch Times to its statement. The Epoch Times contacted the White House for comment but did not hear back by publication time.

Reuters contributed to this report.