TT, 68 ICC member countries condemn US order

TT has joined 68 other countries in condemning a US executive order that seeks to curtail International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations of possible wrong doing by the US.

In a joint statement, 69 of the 123 member countries say that they “reconfirm our unwavering support for the court as an independent and impartial judicial institution.”

The statement comes after US President Donald Trump issued an executive order on June 11, that authorises asset freezes and family travel bans against ICC officials and potentially targets others who assist ICC investigations.

According to Humans Rights Watch, the Trump administration has repeatedly threatened to block ICC investigations in Afghanistan and Palestine that could probe conduct by US and Israeli nationals. In 2019, the US revoked the ICC prosecutor’s visa in retaliation for what was then a potential investigation in Afghanistan.

TT’s former President Arthur NR Robinson is named as the grandfather of the ICC and was instrumental in its formation.

The joint statement added: “We remain committed to an international rules-based order. The ICC is an integral part of this order and a central institution in the fight against impunity and the pursuit of justice, which are essential components of sustainable peace, security and reconciliation.”

The statement called on all 123 members to “respect our co-operation obligations under the Rome Statute” and “to ensure full co-operation with the court for it to carry out its important mandate of ensuring justice for the victims of the most serious crimes of international concern.”

The statement added that the ICC was a court of last resort and only stepped in when states were unwilling or unable to genuinely carry out national proceedings.

“The ICC, as the world’s first and only permanent international criminal court, is an essential component of the multilateral architecture upholding the rule-of-law. It embodies our collective commitment to fight impunity for international crimes. By giving our full support to the ICC and promoting its universal reach, we defend the progress we have made together towards an international rules-based order, of which international justice is an indispensable pillar.”