Hague, Netherlands – International Criminal Court on Friday called upon its member states to stand against the sanctions imposed by US President Donald Trump, saying the move was an attempt to “harm its independent and fair judicial work”.
And the court, embraced by traditional American colleagues in Europe, received great support, standing against the trump measure.
Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, the head of the 27 European Union leaders, Antonio Costa said, “The approval of the ICC threatens the freedom of the court and weakens the international criminal justice system as a whole. ” This was the most difficult direct criticism for a decision by Trump by a top official of the European Union since taking over last month.
The White House on Thursday issued an executive order, which is called “illegitimate and unfounded action” targeting “America and our close aide Israel”.
The US and Israel are not members of the court and do not consider it rights, and Trump’s order was the answer to the arrest warrant that the ICC last year issued an Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Thousands of Palestinians, including children, have died during the Israeli army response to attacks of Hamas attacks on Southern Israel attacking around 1,200 people in October 2023 in October 2023. The figure of killed Palestinians is provided by Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not separate. Between fighters and citizens.
The Hague-based court said that it “condemns” the move by the Trump administration.
The court said in a statement, “The court stands strongly by its personnel and vows to provide justice to millions of innocent victims of atrocities worldwide and continue hope.”
“We asks our parties, civil society and all countries of our 125 states to unite for justice and fundamental human rights,” it said.
And many did it.
Germany will wait for the concrete effects of sanctions, but is clearly shown where its sympathy is.
“ICC is one of the biggest achievements of international criminal law,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Catherine Deschore said. “We support the ICC as Germany and will continue to do so.”
He said that the countries of ICC parties took part behind the court when Trump took similar measures in his first term, and “We will remain one of the biggest supporters of ICC as European and Germany.”
European Commission Chairman Ursula von Der Leyen said that the court should be able to extend the fight against global impurities independently. Europe will always stand to honor justice and international law. ,
The order states that the US will apply “tangible and important results” on those responsible for the “crimes” of the ICC. Action may not be allowed to block property and property and ICC officers, employees and relatives to enter the United States.
The US Treasury and the Department of External Affairs will determine which people and organizations will be approved.
The ICC caught the anger of the United States in November, when a priestial panel of judges issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former Defense Minister and the military chief of Hamas, on them, on war crimes and crimes regarding war in Gaza. Was accused, .
Warrant said that the reason for believing that Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yov Galant used “starvation as a method of war” by restricting humanitarian aid and deliberately targeted citizens in Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza Kaya – Rejected Israeli officials.
On Friday, human rights groups have criticized the decision.
“American sanctions against ICC officials will be a gift for people around the world responsible for large -scale atrocities. “There are restrictions for human rights violations for sanctions, not to work with rights,” Liz Evenson, International Justice Director of Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
“Trump’s Executive Order has borrowed a page from Russia’s playbook, seeking obstruction of court work through arrest warrants against his judges and prosecutors,” Avenson said.
Court officials were preparing for sanctions for months. In January, the court advanced the employees for three months on their salary, two court sources told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to talk to the media.
At least two senior staff members have resigned in the court as Trump was selected in an attempt to escape the sanctions.
The Netherlands, who hosts the court, has also condemned Trump’s order. “The Netherlands regrets the executive order banning the ICC. The work of the court is necessary in the fight against impurities, “Foreign Affairs Minister Casper Waldkamp said in a statement.
The people of the Dutch government say that the Netherlands is trying to assist the court in preserving themselves with a decline.
In a fast polared western world, Hungary stood shoulder to shoulder with Trump.
“The ICC has recently converted itself into a biased political equipment and maligned the entire international court system,” said External Affairs Minister Pieter Szzajarto. “Its decisions have also contributed only to increasing insecurity in the already difficult parts of the world.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sar said that “ICC works are immoral and have no legal basis.”
This is the second time Trump has gone after court. During his previous term in the office, he imposed a ban on former prosecutor Fato Bansowuda and one of his duties on his investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan. US President Joe Biden lifted the sanctions on taking over in 2021.