US sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane strongly condemned

Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has strongly condemned the announced US sanctions against the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Tomoko Akane. "It is deeply depressing that the USA, of all places, is undertaking a frontal attack on international criminal law - and is imposing sanctions on prominent members of the criminal court," said the SPD politician.

It was the USA that played a key role in establishing the idea of ​​international criminal law with the Nuremberg trials against Nazi criminals. "The current US sanctions show contempt for the idea of ​​the rule of law, which is incompatible with this tradition."

EU leaders stand behind the ICC

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa expressed their support for the International Criminal Court.

Both emphasized in posts on X that they "stand firmly with the ICC, President Tomoko Akane and the officials who uphold its mission." Judges and ICC staff must be able to work independently and without external pressure, it said.

Criticism also comes from Akane's home country of Japan

The Japanese government described the sanctions imposed as “very regrettable.” Japan has always supported the ICC in its efforts to prosecute and punish crimes and uphold the rule of law, the Foreign Ministry said. "From this perspective, the announced measures are very regrettable." Akane is a Japanese citizen.

How the USA justified the move

In addition to Akane, the US government also wants to put the senior Senegalese lawyer Abdoulaye Seye on the sanctions list. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this.

He justified the move by saying that both had repeatedly been involved in investigations or arrests of officials whose governments had not consented to the jurisdiction of the ICC. In addition to the USA, these states also include Israel and Russia.

ICC sees rule of law at risk

The ICC said the US decision “undermines the rule of law”. He said they would not be deterred and would stand firmly behind their employees.

The sanctions freeze possible assets in the USA and largely exclude those affected from the American financial system. This means, among other things, that international financial service providers such as Visa or Mastercard could terminate their cooperation. The US Treasury Department granted a deadline of September 17 to wind down current transactions with Akane.