US Sanctions ICC President Tomoko Akane Amid International Rule of Law Concerns
The United States imposed sanctions on August 18, 2026, against International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane of Japan and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal. According to statements from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the actions target officials involved in court investigations of individuals whose governments have not consented to ICC jurisdiction, marking a escalation in Washington’s campaign against The Hague-based tribunal.
U.S. Sanctions Target ICC President Tomoko Akane
Washington launched the fresh punitive measures as part of an ongoing diplomatic and financial offensive against the international court, which officials in Washington accuse of being politicized. According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the targeted individuals have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials from non-consenting states. The sanctions bar both Tomoko Akane and Abdoulaye Seye from entering the United States and prohibit them from carrying out transactions within the U.S. financial system.
Established in 2002 under the Rome Statute, the ICC prosecutes individuals accused of the gravest atrocities when domestic legal systems cannot or will not ensure accountability. While the United States signed the Rome Statute, it never ratified the treaty. Washington’s hostility toward the court has intensified significantly following ICC investigations targeting U.S. allies, including the 2024 issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza.
International Reactions to the Sanctions on The Hague Tribunal
The International Criminal Court issued a formal response on August 18, 2026, stating that the U.S. sanctions undermine the rule of law. When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, the court warned, the international legal order itself is placed at risk.
Governments and human rights organizations offered sharply contrasting views on the measures. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu applauded the sanctions in an evening post on X on August 18, 2026, characterizing the tribunal as a kangaroo court that cloaks its abuse of power in the language of international law. Conversely, Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen expressed disapproval on X, writing that international courts and tribunals must be able to freely carry out their mandates in the Netherlands, where the ICC is headquartered.
Human rights groups also condemned the U.S. action. Speaking on the matter, Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa director Balkees Jarrah characterized the sanctions as a blatant display of disrespect for international law and an overt strategy to protect American and Israeli officials connected to grave crimes from facing legal consequences. Human Rights Watch was among four human rights organizations that filed a lawsuit against U.S. President Donald Trump in a New York court last week over sanctions targeting the court.
Broader Diplomatic Fallout and Court Standing
The latest punitive measures arrive on the heels of a broader diplomatic offensive launched by Washington last month, which called on international partners to withdraw from the court. Chad and Venezuela have announced withdrawals from the body following political realignments. The ICC expressed concern over those departures, asserting that such moves risk undermining the collective global pursuit of justice.
The tribunal has faced pressure from multiple global powers in recent years. Moscow faced retaliatory arrest warrants directed at high-ranking court personnel after the ICC targeted Russian President Vladimir Putin with an arrest warrant in 2023 connected to the conflict in Ukraine. Despite these compounding pressures, the court maintains that its mandate remains vital for addressing war crimes and crimes against humanity worldwide.