<\/p>\n
Sanctions<\/p>\n
By Cecilia Ologunagba<\/p>\n
UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres has condemned the United States\u2019 imposition of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution, according to his spokesperson, St\u00e9phane Dujarric.<\/p>\n
Dujarric told journalists on Friday that Guterres criticised the decision as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to \u201cdismantle the ICC, brick by brick\u201d unless it ends what Washington regards as a \u201cthreat\u201d to its citizens.<\/p>\n
He said Guterres was \u201cdeeply alarmed\u201d by the expected impact on the court\u2019s \u201ccontinued ability to perform its important mandates\u201d.<\/p>\n
The UN chief, however, called the sanctions \u201ca serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar\u201d.<\/p>\n
He reiterated his \u201cunwavering support for the independence of the court and its officials\u201d and called on all States to uphold their commitments under international law.<\/p>\n
The UN remains committed to cooperating with the ICC under the relationship agreement approved by the General Assembly on September 13, 2004, the statement added.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the court hit back forcefully, calling the step unprecedented, following sanctions by the U.S. already in place against 13 of its judges and prosecutors.<\/p>\n
The ICC\u00a0described the measure as \u201can assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order\u201d.<\/p>\n
The sanctions, the court said, were aimed at disrupting its operations and \u201cintimidating those who work for or cooperate with the court\u201d.<\/p>\n
The court, however, said, it would not be deterred.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe court will continue to fully discharge its mandate, with independence and impartiality, acting only on the basis of the law and the evidence for the sake of the countless victims of grave crimes,\u201d ICC President Tomoko Akane, said.<\/p>\n
Yet, the court acknowledged that it cannot stand alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIts fate now rests also in the hands of the states that created it,\u201d the statement said, adding that the Rome Statute\u2019s promise \u201cis only as strong as the resolve of those who made it\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one should be punished for serving the cause of justice. History will judge this moment,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n
Announcing the sanctions, Rubio said the U.S. would \u201cban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmerica never joined the court. We don\u2019t need it. And we don\u2019t want it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Rubio said the door to diplomacy remained open, but he issued a stark warning. \u201cEither the ICC will end its threats, or we will end the ICC,\u201d he said, adding that Washington expected allies to \u201crein in the court\u201d.<\/p>\n
Independent UN human rights experts also warned that the U.S. sanctions were a \u201cbrash attempt\u201d to dismantle a collective international legal system to hold perpetrators of the gravest crimes to account.<\/p>\n
They called on states committed to the rule of law to stand together in defence of the court and its independence.<\/p>\n
\u201cSanctioning the institution entrusted with delivering justice for the gravest international crimes is an assault on the foundations of international accountability and rule of law,\u201d the experts said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo state should place itself beyond the reach of the law by intimidating the court established to enforce it and attempting to dismantle it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The UN Human Right Council-appointed experts \u2013 who are not employed by the UN and receive no salary for their work \u2013 added that the attack \u201cdirectly injures the victims of atrocities and their advocates, who rely on the ICC for justice, accountability and reparation\u201d. (NAN)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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