Following the announcement of new sanctions targeting members of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the German government has affirmed its support for the body. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office told dts Nachrichtenagentur on Wednesday that Germany would do everything possible to stand by the ICC. This commitment, the spokesperson emphasized, would be demonstrated “not only in statements, but also in action and advice.” He added that, “we have been working for a long time to ensure the ICC’s functionality even in the face of these actions.”
The spokesperson noted that several countermeasures are available. One example cited was reports that the ICC has transitioned to using different software that is not manufactured by an American company. This change would make it more difficult, for instance, to simply shut down the relevant systems. He declined to provide further details regarding additional measures.
The new US sanctions specifically target the ICC President, Tomoko Akane, and the current chief prosecutor, Abdoulaye Seye. According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the rationale behind the sanctions is the ICC’s efforts to investigate government representatives from states that do not accept its jurisdiction.
