Overview
- The State Department announced on Tuesday, Aug. 18, that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had sanctioned International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, citing their roles in efforts to investigate or prosecute officials from non‑member states.
- Sanctions freeze any assets in U.S. jurisdictions, bar the targets from entering the United States, restrict transactions through the U.S. financial system, and come with a Treasury general licence allowing a wind-down of dealings through Sept. 17.
- The ICC condemned the designations as an attack on judicial independence and said the measures undermine the rule of law; Japan, the Netherlands, European officials and rights groups also criticised Washington’s move.
- Civil lawsuits are already pending in U.S. federal courts by ICC judges and human‑rights organisations that argue the sanctions unlawfully obstruct justice and violate constitutional and human‑rights protections.
- U.S. officials say the campaign is part of a broader effort to isolate and disable the ICC after its probes involving Israel and past inquiries touching U.S. forces, a strategy that could reduce the court’s ability to execute warrants and prompt more states to reconsider membership or cooperation.