Why is the US sanctioning the International Criminal Court?

What the report says

The United States has imposed new sanctions on the International Criminal Court, intensifying a long-running dispute between Washington and the tribunal based in The Hague. According to Al Jazeera, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the latest measures on Friday, saying the court had overstepped its mandate and that the US would restrict transactions with it. The ICC was created in 2002 to prosecute war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

The sanctions build on earlier US actions this year against ICC judges, prosecutors and other figures connected to the court, as well as against Palestinian rights groups and the UN special rapporteur for Palestine. Al Jazeera reported that the court has also faced US criticism over arrest warrants issued in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and over past scrutiny of alleged abuses involving US personnel in Afghanistan.

The practical effect of the new measures could include frozen ICC assets held in US territory and limits on companies that provide services to the court, though Al Jazeera noted there is a six-month period for winding down some existing business and certain exemptions. International law experts cited by the outlet said the court has been preparing alternatives to reduce reliance on US-linked systems.

The ICC, the UN secretary-general and several allied governments condemned the move, warning it could weaken international criminal justice. The sanctions came on the same day that former ICC judge Navi Pillay was recognized in the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, which Al Jazeera said also underscored concerns about institutions under pressure.