US Sanctions Against ICC Draw UN Chief Guterres' Criticism As Eight Nations Defend Court's Independence & International Justice
· Free Press Journal
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and foreign ministers of eight countries criticised the US announcement of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution.
#US sanctions against ICC: Brash attempt to dismantle intl. criminal accountability system, warn UN experts. “No State should place itself beyond reach of the law by intimidating the court established to enforce it & attempting to dismantle it.”https://t.co/HIOVtjzmsZ pic.twitter.com/b0cJwa8m4x
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— UN Special Procedures (@UN_SPExperts) October 9, 2026
"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," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for Guterres on Friday (local time).
@UN_Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric delivered the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of the United States’ announcement of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that the measures could affect the Court’s ability to carry out its mandate. The… pic.twitter.com/ihDbi4vkDT
— Mouna Awtoul (@mounaawtoul1) October 9, 2026
"Today's decision marks a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar. Accountability for international crimes and delivery of justice to victims are central to our global commitment to peace, security, human rights and fundamental freedoms," said the spokesman.
He said the secretary-general reiterated his unwavering support for the independence of the ICC and its officials, adding that Guterres called on all states to uphold their commitments under international law and to support efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
Joint statement of the foreign minister of Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom pic.twitter.com/UzVjuT4tRJ
— France Diplomacy (@francediplo_EN) October 9, 2026
Also on Friday, foreign ministers of eight countries, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, issued a joint statement, expressing regret over and strong opposition to the US announcement of sanctions against the ICC.
"We, the undersigned States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the ICC," said the statement.
The eight nations pledged to engage in constructive and inclusive dialogue with non-States Parties as they prepare for the Assembly of States Parties in December 2026, reports Xinhua news agency.
Earlier Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against the ICC, saying the measures would ban transactions with the court, cut off its resources and cripple its ability to operate.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)