States are being urged to strongly oppose US threats and sanctions against the International Criminal Court as the 24th Assembly of States Parties opens in The Hague. Amnesty International warns that these actions undermine the Court’s independence and its ability to hold even the most powerful perpetrators accountable. The organization stresses that ICC member states must collectively defend the Court and demand that the US rescind sanctions targeting ICC officials and Palestinian organizations.
Amnesty International highlights that the ICC is facing an existential challenge from states such as the USA and Russia. Any move by Assembly members to “engage” with the US on the terms set by its sanctions is described as dangerous and misguided. Such engagement, Amnesty cautions, risks forcing the Court to halt its work on Palestine or compromise its jurisdiction—actions that would violate the Court’s core principles of independence, impartiality, and territorial jurisdiction.
The organization also emphasizes that US sanctions harm victims seeking justice in situations under ICC investigation, including Darfur, Libya, the Philippines, Palestine, Ukraine, and Venezuela. Amnesty calls on states to protect the Court and uphold the rights of victims whose access to justice depends on its work.
The 24th ASP session runs from 1–6 December 2025, bringing together 125 member states to discuss issues such as the Court’s 2026 budget and non-cooperation. The US sanctions—issued via an Executive Order on 6 February 2025—followed ICC arrest warrants for senior Israeli and Palestinian figures. The order targeted ICC prosecutors, judges, and Palestinian human rights organizations, as well as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
