Executive Order provides for sanctions against ICC personnel

Viewpoints
June 12, 2020
1 minutes

The US has long objected to jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the body charged with trying war crimes and crimes and against humanity, based in The Hague. The US therefore did not sign on to the court's establishing instrument, the Rome Statute, which was entered into force in 2002.

The Executive Order issued on 11 June provides that the US may implement sanctions against any foreign person determined to:

  • Have directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any US personnel without the consent of the US.
  • Have directly engaged in any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute any personnel of a country that is an ally of the US without the consent of that country’s government.

It also provides for the possibility of sanctions on persons who provide material support for the same. 

There is currently no indication of when such sanctions might be put in place, or which parties are expected to become targets.