US sanctions ICC president Tomoko Akane

Tomoko Akane, the Japanese president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague, has been added to the United States' sanctions list, according to an announcement by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio. Akane had previously expressed concerns in the European Parliament last year, stating that U.S. sanctions posed a threat to the ICC's survival.

She explained that companies were becoming unwilling to cooperate, and several employees had departed due to fears of becoming targets of American measures. This move by the U.S. has also prompted countries like Chad and Venezuela to announce their withdrawal from the ICC.

Abdoulaye Deye, the substitute prosecutor, has also been placed on the sanctions list. Individuals included in this list are prohibited from entering the U.S. and are barred from conducting financial or real estate transactions within the country.

The United States is not a member of the ICC. However, former President Donald Trump actively opposed the institution, labeling it as "corrupt and politicized." Last year, sanctions were imposed on several ICC judges in response to an arrest warrant issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.