“All ICC Members and other states committed to accountability must take bold and urgent action to protect the court against unlawful interference in the administration of international justice,” the experts said.

“States must act immediately to mitigate the impact of these measures against judges, prosecutors and staff of the ICC.”

On 18 August, the president of the ICC, Judge Tomoko Akane of Japan, and ICC senior trial lawyer, Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, were designated for sanctions by the US government. With this latest round of designations, 11 current or former ICC judges and personnel have been sanctioned under US Executive Order 14203.

“The imperative to act is all the more urgent because the US government has pledged to ‘systematically dismantle the ICC’ on the erroneous claim that it threatens US sovereignty,” the experts said.

“If that policy succeeds, it will roll back international criminal accountability gains against impunity forged in the fires of Nuremberg and Tokyo, and the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda; and extinguish hope for victims of the gravest atrocity crimes across the world.

“The ICC and its personnel cannot be expected to weather this powerful storm alone.

“This court took decades to build – the work of states, jurists, human rights advocates and countless others worldwide invested in ending impunity for the gravest international crimes. The institution, and the essential work it performs for humanity, now faces unprecedented attack.”

Noting with concern that the sanctions also violate the human rights of those targeted, the experts reiterated their call to the European Union to activate the EU Blocking Statute, which would prevent the bloc’s operators – including banks and service providers – from complying with third country sanctions that violate international law.

Th experts also urged member states to ratify and use the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the ICC to mitigate the effects of the sanctions and deepen their operational engagement with the court.

“It is imperative for states to ensure that businesses within their jurisdiction do not over-comply with these unilateral sanctions. Member states should confer about actions they can take together to protect the court, its personnel, and those who engage with the court.”