ICC Vows Resistance to US Sanctions

International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane vowed on Wednesday to resist U.S. sanctions imposed on her and to protect the Hague-based judicial body from mounting pressure by Washington. Speaking at an online press conference hosted by the Japan National Press Club, Akane declared she would not be deterred by the sanctions, which freeze assets in the United States and bar her from entering the country. The sanctions, imposed by the Trump administration last week, also target a senior trial lawyer and are part of a broader campaign against the ICC.

Akane, a Japanese national, emphasized that the sanctions would not change her approach to judicial duties. "I have no reason to incur U.S. sanctions," she said. "I will resist any adverse consequences." She called on ICC member states, including Japan, to continue supporting the court, warning that its dismantling would mark the beginning of a process where the rule of law is driven out by the rule of force. Akane stressed that the sanctions should be viewed not as a problem for the ICC alone, but as a crisis for the rule of law itself.

The United States has long accused the ICC of being a corrupt organization that abuses its...