ICC president urges U.N. members to defend court against U.S. sanctions

International Criminal Court (ICC) President Tomoko Akane has called on all United Nations member states to take “concrete action” against mounting U.S. pressure on the court, warning that sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration threaten international justice and the rule of law.

Akane delivered her annual report to the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Monday via prerecorded video after being personally targeted by U.S. sanctions in August that have made her unable to enter the United States.

It was the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that an ICC president had addressed the assembly remotely.

The Trump administration escalated its campaign against the court early last month, imposing unprecedented sanctions on the institution itself after previously targeting individual judges and prosecutors over investigations involving the United States and its allies, including Israel.

Akane on Monday again condemned the measures as an attempt to obstruct justice and undermine judicial independence, noting that nine of the court’s 18 judges are now under U.S. sanctions.

“The 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,” she said.

Akane also urged member states to cooperate in executing outstanding arrest warrants, including those issued for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Established in 2002, the ICC investigates and prosecutes genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national authorities are unable or unwilling to do so. The United States is not a member of the court.

Representatives of the European Union and other countries also voiced strong support for the ICC during Monday’s the session.

The appeal comes as Japan, a major financial contributor to the court and a staunch advocate of the rules-based international order, faces a diplomatic dilemma over Washington’s escalating pressure.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has struggled to balance Tokyo’s support for the court with its security alliance with the United States under Trump. Although she has described the sanctions as incompatible with Japan’s position and pledged continued support for the ICC, she has stopped short of directly condemning Washington’s actions.

“The court cannot stand alone. Its fate now rests also in the hands of the States that created it,” Akane said.

“This is not just about defending a single institution, but about safeguarding the international order grounded upon the rule of law.”