ICC President Warns of "Disappearance of International Rule of Law" After U.S. Sanctions

The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Tomoko Akane, has issued a stark warning about the potential "disappearance of international rule of law" following the imposition of U.S. sanctions against her. Akane, who is Japanese, stated she was not entirely surprised by the measures but emphasized the importance of preventing them from signaling the erosion of the international legal order.

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I had anticipated, to a certain extent, the sanctions pronounced against me this time, so I am not surprised.

The sanctions, which also affect ICC Deputy Prosecutor Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, include prohibitions on financial transactions and entry into the United States. These measures have drawn widespread international condemnation. The United Nations, the European Union, France, and Japan have all voiced strong opposition, denouncing the sanctions as incompatible with judicial independence.

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The important thing is that this does not mark the beginning of the disappearance of the international legal order.

International bodies and key nations have rallied in support of Akane and the ICC. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the U.S. to lift the "unacceptable" sanctions. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa affirmed their firm support for Akane, stressing her need to operate free from external pressure. Japan, a significant funder of the ICC, described the sanctions as "very regrettable."

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The new unacceptable sanctions imposed by the United States against the President of the International Criminal Court and a member of the prosecutor's office must be lifted.

France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned "any form of threat and coercive measures against the Court, its staff and civil society organizations that support it," reaffirming its commitment to judicial independence. U.S. officials, however, justified the sanctions by citing the ICC's actions against individuals whose governments do not accept the court's jurisdiction, a stance that contrasts sharply with the international outcry.

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We firmly support Tomoko Akane, who must be able to act independently and without external pressure.