NEW YORK, Nov 11 (KUNA) -- The president of the UN General Assembly warned on Tuesday coercion and sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) are "assaults on the very principles of international law itself".
Annalena Baerbock's statement came as the assembly discussed the ICC's annual report in the light of United States' sanctions imposed on judges and prosecutors this year.
The sanctions stem from an executive order in February in response to the UN-backed court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli occupation Prime Minister and then defense minister, for war crimes in Gaza.
Sanctions can include blocking financial access to property or assets in the US, as well as travel bans.
Baerbock recalled that the court was founded on the principle that "justice is a universal duty" but that its task remains unfulfilled.
"For more than two decades, the court has confronted impunity and shown that even in the darkest moments, accountability remains possible," she said.
"Yet, today, as we witness atrocities that continue to shock humanity's conscience, it is evident that the court's mission is far from complete." Baerbock highlighted the importance of international cooperation for investigations, arrests and the execution of warrants, as well as the need for independence as a safeguard to ensure crimes are prosecuted under the Rome Statute, the international treaty that founded the court.
She pointed out that the ICC and its systems have faced cyberattacks intended to undermine the court's credibility.
"Court officials have been sanctioned for defending the rule of law and pursuing accountability; and its systems have faced cyberattacks intended to undermine the court's credibility," Baerbock said.
"These are not isolated incidents; they are deliberate attacks against the court which aim to weaken the rule of law and erode faith in international institutions." The resolution presented at Tuesday's meeting underlines that ICC officials should be able to carry out their mandate "without intimidation" and "condemns any threats, attacks or interference against the Court, its personnel or those cooperating with it." The President of the ICC Judge Tomoko Akane, told delegates the court's judgments remind the international community that justice "transcends borders and interests" but that when "judges are pressured, threatened, or undermined, the credibility of international law itself is weakened." "Attacks, threats and coercive measures against the court and its officials have persisted and continue to pose a serious threat to the administration of justice by the court and the global fight against impunity," she added.
Akane outlined the achievements and challenges facing the court and called on Member States to defend the international legal system. Early 2025, the United States imposed sanctions against the ICC and several of its judges, prosecutors and officials after it issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the then Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza. (end) ast.ibi