Seventy-nine countries, including South Africa, who are party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have joined forces with five other member states which are opposing sanctions against the court.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump authorised economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on ICC investigations of US citizens or US allies such as Israel.
The 79 parties joined the statement in support of the ICC, initiated by a cross-regional core group — Slovenia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sierra Leone and Vanuatu.
The states said the court served as a vital pillar of the international justice system by ensuring accountability for the most serious international crimes and justice for victims.
“Today, the court is facing unprecedented challenges. Measures sanctioning the court, its officials and staff, and those co-operating with it have been adopted in response to the court carrying out its mandate in accordance with the Rome Statute,” they said.
Such measures, they said, increased the risk of impunity for the most serious crimes and threatened to erode the international rule of law, which was crucial for promoting global order and security.
Moreover, sanctions could jeopardise the confidentiality of sensitive information and the safety of those involved, including victims, witnesses and court officials, many of whom were the state parties' nationals.
“Sanctions would severely undermine all situations currently under investigation as the court may have to close its field offices. Advancing the ICC’s vital work serves our common interest in promoting accountability, as evidenced by the support provided to the court by both states parties and non-states parties.”
As strong supporters of the ICC, the parties said they regretted any attempts to undermine the court’s independence, integrity and impartiality.
“We are committed to ensuring the ICC’s business continuity so that the court can continue to carry out its functions effectively and independently. ”
The statement was supported by : Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jordan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu.
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Image: Piroschka Van De Wouw
Seventy-nine countries, including South Africa, who are party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have joined forces with five other member states which are opposing sanctions against the court.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump authorised economic and travel sanctions targeting people who work on ICC investigations of US citizens or US allies such as Israel.
The 79 parties joined the statement in support of the ICC, initiated by a cross-regional core group — Slovenia, Luxembourg, Mexico, Sierra Leone and Vanuatu.
The states said the court served as a vital pillar of the international justice system by ensuring accountability for the most serious international crimes and justice for victims.
“Today, the court is facing unprecedented challenges. Measures sanctioning the court, its officials and staff, and those co-operating with it have been adopted in response to the court carrying out its mandate in accordance with the Rome Statute,” they said.
Such measures, they said, increased the risk of impunity for the most serious crimes and threatened to erode the international rule of law, which was crucial for promoting global order and security.
Moreover, sanctions could jeopardise the confidentiality of sensitive information and the safety of those involved, including victims, witnesses and court officials, many of whom were the state parties' nationals.
“Sanctions would severely undermine all situations currently under investigation as the court may have to close its field offices. Advancing the ICC’s vital work serves our common interest in promoting accountability, as evidenced by the support provided to the court by both states parties and non-states parties.”
As strong supporters of the ICC, the parties said they regretted any attempts to undermine the court’s independence, integrity and impartiality.
“We are committed to ensuring the ICC’s business continuity so that the court can continue to carry out its functions effectively and independently. ”
The statement was supported by : Afghanistan, Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Jordan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Namibia, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, State of Palestine, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu.
TimesLIVE
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