White House national security adviser John Bolton, on Monday, threatened to impose sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors if they sanction Americans, Israelis or other allies to the United States.
Bolton described the ICC as “dangerous” and “irresponsible,” saying it represents an infringement of US sovereignty.
Bolton said the International Criminal Court (ICC) should provide justice for the victims and prevent future abuses, however, in practice the court was ineffective, unaccounted and dangerous.
“We will let the ICC die on its own. After all, for all intents and purposes, the ICC is already dead to us,” Bolton said in his first speech as national security adviser.
The attack on the ICC is the latest move by President Donald Trump to walk away from international institutions and agreements he believes constrain the US, overseas.
In response to threats by Bolton, the ICC said, on Tuesday, that it would “continue to do its work undeterred.”
The court said in a statement that it is an independent and impartial institution with the backing of 123 countries.
The statement added that “The ICC, as a court of law, will continue to do its work undeterred, in accordance with those principles and the overarching idea of the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister criticized the absence of an international response to US threats via his official Twitter account, on Tuesday.
Mohammad Javad Zarif said “the US threatens to impose sanctions on the ICC & even prosecute its judges in American courts. Where is the outrage?”
“The boorishness of this rogue US regime seems to know no bounds,” he added, according to Ma’an.
