ICC head warns against 'demise of international rule of law' after US sanctions

International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane of Japan warned on Friday against the "demise of international rule of law" after the United States sanctioned her this week.

Washington targeted Akane and Senegalese trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye on Tuesday, barring them from the US and its financial system.

Why did the US sanction the ICC president?

The US sanctioned Akane and Seye as part of the Trump administration's campaign against a court it calls "corrupt and fatally politicized." The measures bar both from entering the United States and from carrying out transactions within the US financial system. The move follows earlier sanctions on other ICC officials, widely seen as a response to the court's investigations involving Israel, a close US ally.

Akane addressed the sanctions publicly for the first time in a statement released on X by her publisher, Bungei Shunju. "The sanction against me this time was something I had anticipated to an extent, so I'm not surprised," she said. She added that the priority now was ensuring the sanctions do not mark "the beginning of the demise of international rule of law."

How has the ICC responded to the sanctions?

The ICC itself condemned the sanctions on Wednesday, calling them a "flagrant attack" on the court's independence. Akane's statement on Friday was her first individual public comment since the measures were announced. The court has not indicated any change to its ongoing investigations as a result of the sanctions.

Does the ICC have jurisdiction over US citizens?

The United States is not a member of the ICC and does not recognize the court's jurisdiction over its citizens. Washington argues the court has no authority to investigate Americans or US allies such as Israel.

The ICC maintains it can exercise jurisdiction when alleged crimes occur on the territory of a member state, regardless of the nationality of the accused.