U.S. sanctions ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior lawyer Abdoulaye Seye

The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on the president of the International Criminal Court and a senior trial lawyer, escalating a campaign to dismantle the tribunal over its investigations into U.S. and Israeli officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the measures against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, calling the court a "corrupt and fatally politicized" institution that has "maliciously abused its authority."

The sanctions, enacted under a February 2025 executive order, freeze any assets the individuals hold in the United States and bar American citizens and entities from conducting transactions with them. A Treasury Department general license allows for the wind-down of existing transactions through September 17. The action marks a significant expansion of the U.S. sanctions campaign, which has previously targeted former ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and several judges.

Rubio stated that Akane and Seye "have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction." He reiterated the administration's goal to...