It is with deep concern that we note the latest actions announced by the Government of the United States against the President of the International Criminal Court and a Trial Lawyer working for the Office of the Prosecutor. These new actions, in addition to the earlier designations of the leadership of the Office of the Prosecutor and 8 judges of the International Criminal Court, are regrettable attempts to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their mandated functions to investigate and adjudicate cases involving the worst crimes known to humanity.
This escalation by the US administration in the use of sanctions against the Court's officials and staff risks undermining ongoing investigations and impeding global efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for and bringing justice to victims of the gravest crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. These sanctions erode the shared commitment to the rule of law, the fight against impunity, and the preservation of a rules-based international order.
We reiterate our full support for the Court, its officials, and all those who contribute to the fulfilment of its judicial mandate. We urge all States Parties and stakeholders in the Rome Statute system to remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding the principles of international justice and to stand united in support of the Court and the values enshrined in the Rome Statute.
The Assembly of States Parties is the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC. It is comprised of representatives of States that have ratified and acceded to the Rome Statute. The Presidency of the Assembly is currently composed of President Päivi Kaukoranta (Finland) and Vice-Presidents Michael Imran Kanu (Sierra Leone) and Margareta Kassangana (Poland).
