ICC member states reject new U.S. sanctions on court officials

THE HAGUE, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The presidency of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), which oversees the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Thursday voiced "deep concern" and rejected new U.S. sanctions imposed on ICC judges and deputy prosecutors.

The sanctions, announced by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, target ICC Judges Kimberly Prost of Canada and Nicolas Guillou of France, along with Deputy Prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang of Senegal. They followed earlier sanctions on four other judges and ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan.

The ASP presidency said the move was a "regrettable attempt to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions."

These measures "represent an affront to the independence of the Court and the integrity of the Rome Statute system," the presidency said in a statement.

"We reiterate our full support for the Court, its officials, and all those who contribute to the fulfilment of its judicial mandate," the statement said, urging member states and stakeholders in the Rome Statute system to "stand united in defending the Court."

The ICC, based in The Hague, the Netherlands, was created under the Rome Statute to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ASP, made up of countries that ratified the Rome Statute, acts as the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC.

Following the U.S. announcement of new sanctions, the ICC had also rejected the measures targeting its judges and prosecutors, calling them "a flagrant attack" on the court's independence.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the ICC stressed that it would continue its work "undeterred" and urged member states to stand by the court. ■