EU Stands with ICC President Akane and Staff After US Restrictions

Brussels – The European Union’s senior figures used their X accounts on 19 August to voice explicit support for ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior lawyer Abdul Saye, who were placed under US sanctions the previous day.

Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa said the court’s mission to bring justice to victims of the gravest offenses remains vital, and that its judges and prosecutors must operate free from political coercion.

The United States, which is not a party to the Rome Statute, justified the measures by claiming the two officials were directly involved in attempts to investigate, arrest or prosecute individuals from countries that reject ICC jurisdiction.

EU officials warned that such punitive steps erode the foundations of international law and could hinder future cooperation on crimes linked to the Gaza war and other conflicts.