According to Reuters reports on August 18th local time, U.S. Secretary of State Rubicoff stated that the United States imposed sanctions on the President of the International Criminal Court and a senior lawyer from that court on Tuesday.
In a statement, Rubio said that he imposed sanctions on the President of the International Criminal Court, Akihiko Akamine of Japan, and the court's senior attorney, Abdoulaye Sèye of Senegal, based on an executive order signed by Trump last year to sanction the International Criminal Court.
Rubio stated: "These two individuals were directly involved in actions that led to the International Criminal Court investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting officials whose governments did not agree with the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction."
The International Criminal Court condemned this action, and stated in its statement that these actions undermine the rule of law.
In recent years, the United States has repeatedly announced sanctions against judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court, on the grounds that the court is investigating American personnel, and that arrest warrants have been issued against the Israeli Prime Minister and former Defense Minister.
In mid-July, the U.S. State Department announced the launch of an initiative involving multiple government departments, aimed at “dismantling” the International Criminal Court. The goal is to systematically weaken its ability to take action against U.S. military personnel or government officials, or to otherwise “threaten U.S. sovereignty”.
