The United States has announced a campaign to weaken the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the tribunal as a threat to American sovereignty and signalling that further sanctions, visa restrictions and diplomatic pressure on allies could follow.
In a statement released on Monday, the U.S. State Department said it would pursue a "whole-of-government response" to "systematically disable the ICC's ability to operate, target American servicemen or officials, or otherwise threaten American sovereignty."
Washington argues that the court has no jurisdiction over U.S. citizens because the United States has never ratified the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC. The department said successive U.S. administrations had rejected the court's authority over Americans, noting that the ICC had previously opened an investigation into alleged crimes committed by U.S. troops and intelligence personnel in Afghanistan.
Although the court shifted its focus away from the U.S. investigation in 2021, it has never formally closed the case.
Writing in The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Trump administration would "dismantle the ICC - brick by brick, if necessary", arguing that the court had evolved into a supranational institution seeking to override the authority of sovereign states.
The latest move comes after Washington imposed sanctions last year on 11 ICC officials, including nine judges and the court's chief prosecutor, freezing assets under U.S. jurisdiction and imposing travel restrictions.
The European Union responded by reaffirming its support for the ICC. European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the bloc remained committed to the court's independence, international criminal justice and the fight against impunity.
Uzbekistan summoned Iran’s ambassador following claims by several Iranian diplomatic missions that the historical and architectural heri...
Kazakhstan marks Republic Day on 25 October with an ambitious economic agenda and a growing partnership with Azerbaijan, as the two Caspian neighbo...
Thousands of Israelis rallied in T...
Around 11,000 people joined a demonstration in Orléans on Saturday against the National Rally congress, according to the local prefecture.
Typhoon Champi swept past Taiwan on Saturday, leaving one person dead and more than 500 injured as strong winds and torrential rain brought down trees, cut power and disrupted transport across the island.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday described a deadly shooting in the towns of Trappes and La Verrière, west of Paris, as a racist attack and ‘a turning point’ for the country.
Israeli forces have maintained a tight closure on Hebron in the occupied West Bank for a second day, with Palestinian media reporting home raids, mass detentions and dozens of residents forced outside following a shooting incident the day before.
Foreign ministers meeting in Istanbul on Friday warned that renewed military strikes on Iran could deepen the regional conflict, urging diplomatic efforts to prevent further escalation.
Riot police fired tear gas at protesters in France’s largest cities and more than 1,300 people were arrested during demonstrations against the rising cost of living on Saturday (24 October). Police also used a water cannon on a group of around 500 hooded youths in Paris, after the main rally ended.
Ukraine's military has been hit this month by restrictions on Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's Starlink satellite communications system. Its receivers stopped functioning when mounted on fast-moving objects such as drones, jeopardising some combat and air defence missions.
At least five people were killed and several others injured in overnight attacks across Russia and Ukraine on Sunday, 25 October, as officials reported strikes on residential areas and industrial facilities, while Moscow claimed to have targeted logistics infrastructure and a cargo vessel.
Protests against war and rising living costs took place in major Italian cities on Saturday, with some incidents of violence and clashes, a week after unrest erupted across the country.
Bulgarians are voting in a presidential election on Sunday as deadly drone attacks on merchant vessels in the Black Sea raise security concerns and expose divisions over the country's response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment