The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane of Japan and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, accusing the Hague-based court of being "politicized."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that these individuals were targeted for their involvement in ICC efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials from governments that have not consented to the court's jurisdiction. The sanctions prohibit the targeted individuals from entering the United States and conducting transactions within the U.S. financial system.
The ICC, established in 2002, serves as a prosecutorial body for individuals accused of the most severe atrocities when national legal systems are inadequate. The U.S., not a signatory to the Rome Statute that founded the ICC, has previously sanctioned other court officials.
These measures appear to be largely in response to ICC investigations concerning Israel, a U.S. ally. In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in connection with the conflict in Gaza. Washington has recently intensified its diplomatic campaign against the ICC, alleging it "threatens" Americans and urging partners to disengage from the court.
A statement attributed to the Trump administration described the ICC as a "corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate," asserting that the U.S. "will not tolerate its assault on state sovereignty."
