International Criminal Court: New US sanctions ‘a flagrant attack’ against its independence

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday responded to a new round of US sanctions targeting its president and a senior prosecutor, calling them “a flagrant attack” against the court.“These sanctions are a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions,” the ICC wrote in a statement.Established in 2002 under the Rome Statute, the ICC is a separate institution and not part of the UN, although the Security Council may refer cases to the court.With the consent of countries that have signed the Rome Statute, the ICC prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.See our explainer, here.UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Wednesday that Secretary-General António Guterres was seriously concerned at the latest US action “as well as the ongoing designation of other International Criminal Court employees.”US steps up attackThe US, which is not a party to the Rome Statute, has expressed concerns that the ICC is a threat to its national sovereignty. It worries the Court could prosecute US citiz...