EU leaders reaffirm support for ICC after US imposes sanctions

European Union leaders on Wednesday expressed firm support for the International Criminal Court, a day after the United States imposed sanctions on the ICC president and a senior lawyer at the court.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa said on social media platform X that they stood firmly with the ICC, ICC President Tomoko Akane, and the officials working to uphold its mission.

“The ICC helps deliver justice to victims of some of the world’s most horrific crimes,” they said.

The EU leaders added that judges and trial officials must be able to carry out their work independently and without external pressure.

The administration of US President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed sanctions on ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal.

The US government accused them of being “directly engaged in ICC efforts to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose governments do not consent to ICC jurisdiction.”

The sanctions broadly prohibit US citizens from conducting transactions with Akane and Seye and effectively block the two officials from accessing the US financial system.