Guterres Condemns US Sanctions on International Criminal Court

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning of their potential impact on the Court’s ability to carry out its mandate.

Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said during a press briefing that Guterres opposes sanctions against the Court as an institution, expressing deep concern over the anticipated repercussions of these measures on its operations and its continued ability to exercise its jurisdiction.

Dujarric clarified that the concerns include the Court’s capacity to examine cases referred to it by the UN Security Council and by states parties to the Rome Statute, emphasizing that the Secretary-General reaffirmed his steadfast support for the independence of the Court and its staff.

The spokesperson stressed that the United Nations would continue to cooperate with the ICC, in accordance with the agreement on relations between the two parties approved by the UN General Assembly in December 2004.

Earlier on Friday, the administration of US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of sanctions on the ICC, including a ban on dealing with it, in a move aimed at restricting its activities.

For its part, the Court described the US decision as an unprecedented measure intended to obstruct its work and intimidate its staff.