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January 16, 2025 | 01:58 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the European Union to take immediate action to counter the US threat of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC), Al Mayadeen reports.
In a letter to EU foreign ministers, HRW stressed the existential threat that the sanctions would pose to the ICC and urged the bloc to activate its Blocking Statute to counteract the impact of the sanctions.
The call comes as the US administration moves closer to implementing measures aimed at punishing the ICC for investigations involving US citizens or allies. Earlier in January, the US introduced legislation to censure the ICC for what it considers its “unwarranted targeting of Israel.”
The Countering Unlawful Trials Act would punish anyone who works to investigate, arrest, imprison, or convict American individuals or officials from US-allied countries or entities, and Israel.
The bill, which was originally introduced on January 8, is expected to undergo deliberations throughout the week, according to the letter. HRW also warned that President-elect Donald Trump could “issue an executive order to establish a targeted sanctions regime for the ICC,” rendering the court’s role as a last resort to investigate the most serious crimes futile.
To counter this threat, HRW urged the EU to invoke the Blocking Statute — a legal mechanism designed to protect European entities from the extraterritorial impact of foreign sanctions. HRW said the statute could play a critical role in protecting the ICC’s operations and ensuring its independence.
The statute “could provide important protection for the ICC by helping to mitigate the impact of US sanctions while sending a strong message that the EU and its members will not tolerate attempts to undermine the court,” the letter said.
HRW also stressed the importance of continued public support for the ICC by EU governments, calling on them to voice their opposition to US sanctions and communicate this position clearly to Washington. The organization noted that any delay in activating the Blocking Statute could jeopardize the ICC’s ability to deliver justice in ongoing cases.
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