Washington Sanctions the International Criminal Court

The United States has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) itself, hours after Navi Pillay, a former ICC judge, won the Nobel Peace Prize, Reuters reports.

The Trump administration announced the measures on Friday. They go further than earlier sanctions on ICC prosecutors and judges and could punish companies that provide services to the court.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the ICC a “rogue court”.

“We will ban transactions with this rogue court, cutting off their resources and crippling its ability to operate.”

The US Treasury set a six-month initial grace period, with some exemptions for telecoms, software, pension payments and transactions related to detainees. Rubio said the measures would be adjusted if US demands are not met.

Washington has criticised the ICC over arrest warrants for Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an investigation into US soldiers’ actions in Afghanistan.

The ICC called the sanctions an “assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order.” It urged its 125 member states to defend it.

ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the court’s work will continue.

“Our work will continue across all our situations, our investigations and our prosecutions.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the grace period “offers a window for dialogue” and that the bloc “has options to ensure that (the ICC) can continue its vital work.”