Shafaq News- Hague 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) condemned US sanctions against the court, describing them as an “attack on the rule of law.”

In a statement, the ICC said the sanctions undermined the foundations of the international legal order and challenged the principle that no one is above the law. “History will judge this moment,” the court added.

The ICC said the measures were intended to intimidate its staff and obstruct its work, adding that it would not allow anything to deter it from fulfilling its mandate.

ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court would continue carrying out its mandate independently and impartially, relying exclusively on the law and evidence and acting in the interests of the countless victims of serious crimes.

The court also called on its 125 member states to support it, warning that its future depended in part on the countries that had established it. It added that future generations, particularly victims of mass atrocities, would question how the international community responded when an institution created to protect them came under attack.

The #ICC strongly rejects US sanctions against the institution ⤵️ https://t.co/cQZ5JLMJYx

— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) October 9, 2026

Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, condemned the US sanctions, saying the Secretary-General is deeply alarmed by the expected impact of today’s sanctions on the International Criminal Court as a whole, and in particular, its continued ability to perform its important mandates, including in relation to the situations referred to it by the Security Council and States Parties to the Rome Statute.

“Today’s decision marks a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar, he added, stressing that accountability for international crimes and delivery of justice to victims are central “to our global commitment to peace, security, human rights and fundamental freedoms. “

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk also condemned the sanctions, describing them as “unacceptable” and calling for immediate measures to protect the ICC and those cooperating with it.

“These sanctions, the latest in a series of retaliatory steps against the ICC and its personnel for the work they do every day to advance accountability for the very worst violations of human rights, are unacceptable,” Turk said.

The European Commission described the US measures as deeply regrettable and said it was prepared to take any necessary steps to ensure the court could continue operating effectively.

It said it would work closely with the ICC to safeguard its operations, expressing hope that the six-month period before the sanctions take effect would leave room for dialogue.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the sanctions were a matter of serious concern. He added that Norway and other countries were assessing how best to support and protect the court and whether the sanctions could be prevented from taking effect.

I deeply regret that the US threatens to impose new sanctions on the International Criminal Court. At a time of war and multiple conflicts, we need, more than ever, an International Criminal Court that can fulfil its mandate free from political pressure. https://t.co/RJFNZYDJTG

— Espen Barth Eide (@EspenBarthEide) October 9, 2026

Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot strongly condemned the measures, warning that efforts to obstruct the court would deprive victims of a path to justice and allow perpetrators of the gravest crimes to escape accountability.

Prevot said Belgium had called for the European Union to activate its “Blocking Statute,” a mechanism intended to protect European entities from complying with certain foreign sanctions.

⚖️ I strongly condemn the new US sanctions against the International Criminal Court. Seeking to cripple the Court’s work denies victims a path to justice and puts those responsible for the gravest crimes beyond its reach. At Belgium’s initiative, support for the ICC will be discussed with my EU foreign affairs colleagues on Monday and at the forthcoming European Council. We will press for concrete protection. The Court’s independence cannot depend on whom it investigates. Europe must act. Belgium is calling for the activation of the EU Blocking Statute to protect the Court and those who support its work. We must also defend our right to uphold international law without foreign sanctions dictating our choices. @BelgiumMFA @IntlCrimCourt

— Maxime PREVOT (@prevotmaxime) October 9, 2026

By contrast, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for imposing the sanctions. A statement issued by his office described the ICC as a “political body” that posed an existential threat to democracies that uphold the rule of law and to the principle of national sovereignty.  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: I commend President @realDonaldTrump and @SecRubio for taking this critical decision to sanction the ICC. The ICC is not a court. It is a political body that poses a mortal threat to law abiding democracies worldwide and to the very idea of national sovereignty. Thank you for your leadership.

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 9, 2026