After the United States announced measures against the International Criminal Court (ICC), the European Union expressed its support for the ICC on July 14 local time, opposing the Trump administration's claim that the ICC posed a threat to US sovereignty.
According to reports by the British newspaper The Guardian, European Commission spokesman Anwar El Al-Amin said on Tuesday, "The EU reaffirms its support for the principles established by the ICC and the Rome Statute. We respect the independence and fairness of the ICC. We are committed to international criminal justice and to combating impunity. Any attacks or threats against the ICC, its officials, staff, or personnel cooperating with the court are absolutely unacceptable."
Anuni pointed out that the ICC plays an important role in prosecuting perpetrators of some of the world's most serious crimes, ranging from genocide to war crimes. He said, “Please also remember that the ICC does not target sovereign states, nor does it pose a threat to their sovereignty.” Instead, the ICC “exercises jurisdiction over individuals who commit the most serious crimes that concern the international community.”
The International Criminal Court was established in 2002, located in The Hague, the Netherlands. Its main function is to prosecute and try individuals who commit crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression. China, Russia, and the United States, which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, have not joined this treaty. The United States signed the Rome Statute on December 31, 2000, but withdrew its signature before being approved by Congress.
On July 13th local time, U.S. Secretary of State Rubicoff wrote an article in the American media outlet The Wall Street Journal, announcing that he would 'dismantle' the court in order to eliminate the ICC's 'comprehensive threat to U.S. sovereignty'.
The United States Department of State’s press release states that the US will take a comprehensive government response to systematically weaken the operational capabilities of the ICC, thereby preventing it from targeting American military personnel or officials, or threatening U.S. sovereignty in any other way. Measures being considered include urging other countries to withdraw from the ICC, demanding that they refuse to accept charges against American officials and military personnel by the ICC, and issuing visa bans and travel restrictions against ICC personnel. British media reports suggest that Ukraine may be affected by this action, as the ICC is currently investigating war crimes against Russia.
The former executive director of human rights organizations, Kenneth Roth, told The Guardian, “The ICC does not claim jurisdiction over actions that take place within the United States. Rubio, under the guise of national sovereignty, attempts to avoid responsibility for war crimes committed in the United States, which ignores the right of other sovereign countries to pursue the ICC for crimes committed on their territories.”
A former senior U.S. sanctions official also suggested that the Trump administration's actions were intended to limit the ICC's ability to investigate its actions. “It seems like a preemptive move aimed at preventing any action that the ICC might take against Venezuela or other foreign countries.”
Ross further pointed out that he was worried that the Trump government might still be trying to avoid future scrutiny by using this as a way to escape accountability. He said, "Trump wants to commit war crimes on territories under ICC jurisdiction without facing consequences, which is at the heart of the issue."
