AZE.US
The United States imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, Oct. 9, barring transactions with the tribunal and restricting its access to U.S. financial services, technology companies and dollar-based operations.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures, saying Washington does not accept the Hague-based court’s jurisdiction over U.S. citizens. American companies and individuals were given an initial six-month period to wind down business dealings with the ICC.
The U.S. Treasury provided exemptions for some telecommunications and software services, pension payments and transactions related to detainees, according to Reuters. Rubio said the measures could be adjusted depending on whether the court and its member states address U.S. concerns.
ICC Vows to Continue Its Work
The ICC condemned the sanctions as an attempt to obstruct justice and an assault on the rule of law. The court said it would continue investigating and prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression when national jurisdictions are unwilling or unable to act.
The tribunal called on its 125 member states to ensure that it has the resources and support needed to continue operating. The United States is not a party to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC.
Washington has repeatedly challenged ICC actions involving citizens and officials of nonmember countries. The current confrontation centers in part on arrest warrants issued for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an earlier investigation into alleged conduct by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Allies Reject the U.S. Measures
Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands and Japan jointly expressed opposition to the sanctions, warning that they could seriously affect the court’s operations, staff and families.
European officials have also discussed using a blocking mechanism to limit the sanctions’ effect within the European Union. The Netherlands, which hosts the court in The Hague, has been among the countries examining possible protective measures.
The sanctions were announced hours after South African jurist Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The sanctions had been under preparation before the award was announced, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
Source: Vesti Baku; Reuters; The Associated Press.