The Hague, Feb 7 (EFE). – The International Criminal Court condemned Friday the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump the day before to sanction its officials, saying it harms “its independent and impartial judicial work.”
ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane also released a statement rejecting Trump’s sanctions.
“The announced Executive Order is only the latest in a series of unprecedented and escalatory attacks aiming to undermine the Court’s ability to ister justice in all Situations,” Judge Akane said.
“Such threats and coercive measures constitute serious attacks against the Court’s States Parties, the rule of law based international order, and millions of victims,” she added.
Trump’s decision, which imposes financial and visa restrictions for ICC officials and their immediate family , came in response to the arrest warrants issued by the ICC against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for war crimes in Gaza.
In response, the ICC president said the court strongly rejects “any attempt to influence the independence and the impartiality of the Court or to politicize our judicial function.”
The judge also underscored the importance of the Court recalling the spirit of the Rome Statute that established the ICC in 1998, which defined four core international crimes (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression) that the Court can investigate and prosecute when states are “unable” or “unwilling” to do so themselves.
“As atrocities continue to plague the globe affecting the lives of millions of innocent children, women, and men, the Court has become indispensable. It represents the most significant legacy of the immense suffering inflicted on civilians by the world wars, the Holocaust, genocides, violence, and persecutions,” said Akane.
Several countries, including the United States, China, Russia, and Israel, are not , do not recognize ICC jurisdiction, and do not it in cases involving them or their allies.
However, the court has jurisdiction to open an investigation when crimes are committed on the territory of a member country, such as Palestine, even if the perpetrators are nationals of a non-member country. EFE
ir/mcd
