ICC chief vows to survive U.S. sanctions

Judge Tomoko Akane told the United Nations on Monday that the International Criminal Court would not be stopped by new U.S. penalties. The ICC president spoke by video from Cameroon because American sanctions made her travel difficult. She accused the Trump administration of trying to block international justice.

Akane asked all 193 member nations to act in defense of the court. She noted that only 125 countries are currently part of the ICC. The U.S. is not a party to the tribunal. The court was created in 2002 to handle war crimes and genocide when local governments cannot or will not act.

The timing of the latest sanctions drew specific criticism from Akane. The U.S. announced sweeping new penalties on Oct. 9. That was the same day Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge from South Africa, won the Nobel Peace Prize. Pillay received the award for her work in international law. Akane called the timing extraordinary and unprecedented.

“The contrast could not be starker,” Akane said. “On the one hand, global recognition of the value of international justice, on the other, an attempt to subdue the institution that embodies it.” She added that the court would remain independent and impartial. She said the ICC would act only on law and evidence for the sake of victims.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the recent sanctions package. He said the U.S. would ban transactions with the court. Rubio described the ICC as a rogue body. He said cutting off its resources would cripple its ability to operate against the U.S. The State Department did not provide an immediate comment on Akane's remarks.

The Trump administration has targeted ICC officials and the court itself over the last month. These actions are part of a campaign to dismantle the tribunal. The court has investigated the United States and its allies, including Israel. Akane said these steps threaten judges, prosecutors, and the institution as a whole.

Supporters of the court spoke at the U.N. General Assembly after Akane’s address. Representatives from the European Union and other nations voiced strong support for the ICC. They backed the court’s mission to seek justice for serious crimes. Akane’s remote briefing marked the first major UN address from a sanctioned ICC official.