The International Criminal Court (ICC) has strongly condemned former US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose sanctions on its staff. In a statement, the court said the move undermines its independent judicial work and called on its 125 member states to unite to defend justice and human rights, Ynet News reports.
Earlier, on Thursday, Trump signed an executive order imposing economic and visa restrictions on individuals working on ICC investigations of US citizens or allies, including Israel. This action was in response to the ICC’s arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, issued on the back of his visit to Washington.
“The Court strongly supports its staff and is committed to continuing to provide justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of crime around the world,” the ICC said in a statement.
The ICC and its role in international justice
The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and aggression in cases where national courts are unable or unwilling to bring perpetrators to justice. The Court has jurisdiction over crimes committed by nationals of the member states or on their territory.
At the same time, the United States is not a member of the ICC, which has not prevented Washington from repeatedly exerting pressure on the court in response to its decisions.
