🚨US imposes sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge and president of the International Criminal Court, according to the US Treasury Department.
The move is the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based court, established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The US is not a member.
Last year, the US sanctioned several ICC officials, including prosecutors and judges, citing the court’s arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as its past probe into US troops in Afghanistan. The sanctions freeze any US assets and largely cut individuals off from the US financial system.
In June, three ICC judges sued Trump and his administration, arguing the sanctions were unlawful. The Treasury on Tuesday also issued a general license allowing transactions involving Akane to be wound down through September 17.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month the administration would intensify efforts to undermine the ICC, including by persuading other countries to leave it. He said the court threatened US personnel enforcing Trump’s immigration policies, conducting strikes on suspected drug boats, and other US service members. Trump has said the campaign is aimed at protecting Netanyahu and others from prosecution, not himself.
According to Reuters, the sanctions were partly intended to prevent future efforts to hold Trump or his officials accountable for US military actions overseas.
The ICC is an independent court that prosecutes atrocities in member states even when committed by nationals of non-member states. It asserts jurisdiction when a member state is unable or unwilling to prosecute atrocities itself.
