‘Frightening’: ICC president says threats and sanctions endanger courts | ICC news

US politicians are threatening to sanction judicial officials over the arrest warrant against Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu.

The president of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned that attacks on the court, which have largely come from Washington and Moscow, “endanger its very existence”.

Addressing ICC members in The Hague at an annual conference on Monday, ICC President Tomoko Akane said the court was facing “coercive measures, threats, pressure and acts of sabotage” without naming the United States and Russia.

The court later faced rebukes from both countries issue arrest warrants for Israeli and Russian officials on the wars a Gaza i Ukraine.

“The court is being threatened with draconian economic sanctions by another permanent member of the Security Council as if it were a terrorist organization,” Akane said in her speech.

US politicians have threatened to impose sanctions on ICC officials after the court issued arrest warrants against the Israeli prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Last month, US Senator Lindsey Graham, whose Republican Party will control both houses of Congress and the White House from January, called the ICC a “dangerous joke” and threatened sanctions against the court and any participating country.

“To any ally (Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France) if you try to help the ICC, we will sanction you,” Graham told Fox News.

In June, the one controlled by the Republicans The US House of Representatives passed a bill to sanction the court in response to ICC prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for arrest warrants against Israeli officials.

The measure has so far not been considered by the Senate, which is currently controlled by Democrats.

After the ICC last month issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and a Hamas leader, US Senator Tom Cotton proposes to use military force against the court of the Hague.

The US and Israel are not members of the ICC and have rejected the court’s investigations into alleged abuses in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

However, the court has ruled that it has jurisdiction in these areas because the State of Palestine is a signatory to the Rome Statute, which established the court.

“The court has been subject to attacks aimed at undermining its legitimacy and capacity to administer justice and realize international law and fundamental rights: coercive measures, threats, pressure and acts of sabotage,” Akane said.

He called the efforts “horrendous.”

Last week, the court denounced the “recent issuance of arrest warrants intended to threaten the freedom and integrity of two judges.” Russia had issued an arrest warrant for ICC judge Haykel Ben Mahfoudh in November.

Moscow also previously indicted Khan and other judicial officials after the ICC issued arrest warrants for the president Vladimir Putin i Russian military leaders last year for alleged war crimes committed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Akane warned on Monday that the downfall of the court through such threats “would involve the downfall of the rule of law in the international community”.

“Victims could no longer obtain justice. For many of them, a world without the ICC is inconceivable,” the ICC president said.

“We strongly reject any attempt to influence the independence and impartiality of the court,” he added.

The ICC it was established in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression when member states are unwilling or unable to do so themselves.

Its order against Israeli leaders marked the first time the court issued an order for a staunchly close Western ally.