The United States announced a new sanctions package this week affecting the International Criminal Court, restricting the court's access to American financial institutions and the US dollar. The measure gives US based firms and individuals six months to unwind any existing business dealings with the court.
The announcement followed the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to international jurist Navi Pillay, whose career has included work with international courts and tribunals, though the sanctions package itself is a separate administration policy decision tied to the administration's longstanding reservations about the court's jurisdiction over American and allied personnel. The United States has never joined the ICC, and past administrations of both parties have periodically clashed with the court over its investigations.
The move drew statements of concern from the court itself, as well as from the United Nations and a number of national governments, including several in Europe along with Canada and Japan, each of which remains a member of the court. Officials from those governments argued that restricting the court's financial access could complicate its ability to carry out investigations the court says are central to its mandate.
The sanctions add a new dimension to an already complex relationship between Washington and international courts this year, one that intersects with ongoing cases before the International Court of Justice and the ICC's continuing docket of investigations into conflicts around the world.
Watch for how the six month wind down period affects firms with existing contracts tied to the court, and for any formal response from the court's assembly of member states.
Is the United States a member of the International Criminal Court?
No, the United States has never joined the ICC, and administrations from both parties have at times disagreed with the court over its jurisdiction.
What do the sanctions actually restrict?
They cut the court off from US financial institutions and the dollar system, and require US firms and individuals to end related business dealings within six months.