US imposes sanctions against International Criminal Court
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US will not allow the court to persecute Americans.
US Imposes Sanctions Against International Criminal Court
US President Donald Trump's administration has imposed sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), Reuters reported on October 9.
The US Department of the Treasury has also expanded the list of sanctions against the ICC, as announced by the department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US would not allow the court to prosecute Americans. According to him, Washington is banning any transactions with the court, thereby "depriving it of resources and paralyzing its ability to operate."
ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan criticized the sanctions, emphasizing that they would not be able to stop the court's activities.
The US imposed these sanctions just hours after Navanethem "Navi" Pillay, one of the court's former judges, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The US has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the activities of the International Criminal Court. In particular, objections were raised after the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli officials, specifically Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as due to the now-closed investigation into American military personnel who fought in Afghanistan.