The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties regrets institutional sanctions against the International Criminal Court ("the Court").
The escalation in unprecedented use of coercive measures is a regrettable attempt to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions. Such actions aim to directly challenge an international legal institution painstakingly built to ensure that accountability, not impunity, prevails. The institutional designation of the Court follows sanctions targeting the elected officials of the Court.
We underscore our support for the Court, its officials, and all those who contribute to the fulfilment of its judicial mandate in accordance with the Rome Statute. We reiterate our resolve to uphold the principles of international justice and the independence of the judiciary and to stand united in supporting the Court, its elected officials, its personnel and those cooperating with it to carry out their roles and responsibilities under the Rome Statute.
In this context, we underline the importance of cooperation with the Court by all States Parties and stakeholders in the Rome Statute system. The Bureau calls on the international community to stand firm in defence of the Court in the face of these unprecedented measures, and to demonstrate their collective resolve to safeguard the integrity of the international rule of law.
The Bureau also calls for the immediate revocation of these sanctions.
