UN Rapporteur: Trump's sanctions against ICC obstruct international justice.

New York, February 17, 2025 (LANA) - The UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterwit, described the sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump on the International Criminal Court as a direct attack on the international justice system.

In a press statement today, Monday, Satterwit discussed the inclusion of the court's prosecutor, Karim Khan, on the US sanctions list, the repercussions of these sanctions on the work of the court, and the measures that member states must take to respond to this step.

Satterwit explained that "the International Criminal Court was established to ensure the rule of law in the face of conflicts and acts of violence."

She considered that "targeting an institution tasked with investigating the most serious international crimes, and punishing its senior officials through sanctions, is a direct attack on the rule of law and efforts to combat impunity."

“The impact of the sanctions will become clearer in the coming months,” she said, adding that Trump’s decision “allows for the imposition of severe sanctions on members and staff of the court.” “So far, only the prosecutor, Karim Khan, has been targeted, but the implications of these sanctions are much broader. For example, any financial transactions related to the court within the US banking system could be frozen, and visa restrictions could prevent him from carrying out his normal duties, such as traveling to different countries or meeting with UN officials,” she added.

=Lana=