‘We cannot stand by while the US threatens to dismantle the International Criminal Court’
European judicial organizations condemn threats against the ICC
In an opinion last month- U verlaat Rechtspraak.nl in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio threatened to dismantle the Court ‘stone by stone’ because it allegedly undermines U.S. sovereignty. The U.S. has announced a campaign- U verlaat Rechtspraak.nl of measures aimed at making the ICC’s work impossible. This is yet another escalation in the ongoing effort to undermine the ICC. Judges, prosecutors, and staff at the Hague-based Court are already suffering under U.S. sanctions, including revoked travel visas and blocked credit cards. Three judges who filed a lawsuit in the U.S. describe these measures as a ‘financial death penalty.’
Condemnation judges' organizations
In a joint statement- U verlaat Rechtspraak.nl, the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary, the Network of Presidents of the Supreme Judicial Courts of the European Union, and the International Association of Judges condemn the U.S. government’s conduct. They reaffirm their support for the independence of the International Criminal Court, including its judges, prosecutors and staff. According to Henk Naves, it is high time to consider measures: ‘Disapproving words are not enough. Those words must lead to action. One option is to apply the EU Blocking Regulation to counteract the effects of the sanctions.'
The gravest crimes
‘The U.S. government acts as if the ICC can prosecute American citizens over the smallest matters,’ Naves states. He considers this a caricature of the institution established at the start of this century to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes. ‘We are talking about the most serious crimes imaginable—crimes over which 125 member states have agreed to draw a line. It appears the U.S. government wants to keep its hands free to challenge that line. We must refuse to accept that, especially not as the host country of the ICC and as a country whose constitution mandates promoting the development of the international legal order.’
Situation worsening
Naves has previously expressed concerns about the U.S. government’s approach to the ICC. In his New Year’s address in January, he spoke of ‘intimidation of judges’ and expressed surprise at the lack of a strong counterresponse. Naves adds, ‘Since then, the situation has only worsened. It is therefore crucial that Europe sends a clear message. There can be no silence when a state that claims to be an ally makes such threats against the international legal order.’
Full statement by European judicial organizations- U verlaat Rechtspraak.nl