As denounced by MEDEL in its statement on August 29, 2025[1], the sanctions imposed by the US administration on judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court are part of a systemic attack against the Court and the universal system set up to protect human rights effectively.
On December 18, additional two judges have been designated for sanctions under the Executive Order 14203 “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court”, as “ directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent”.
We recently learnt with dismay that the ICC prosecutor and eight judges have been convicted in absentia by a court in Moscow to prison terms ranging from three and a half years to 15 years, in retaliation for prosecuting the Russian President and the Russian Children’s Rights Commissioner for war crimes in Ukraine.
In addition to the high personal cost paid by those who have been sanctioned by the US administration, elected officials now affected by the conviction face a threat to their personal freedom.
The ongoing attack on ICC, the international legal order and the Rule of law has not yet received an adequate response.
Furthermore, within the EU, the integrity of the Rome Statute system is being challenged as well by States Parties not fulfilling their obligations to cooperate and by Hungary’s withdrawal from ICC, blatantly disregarding the EU’s commitment to achieving universality and full implementation of the Rome Statute.
MEDEL reiterates its full support and solidarity with the ICC, its elected officials and staff;
condemns all forms of attack against the ICC and its essential role in prosecuting and punishing the most serious war crimes and crimes against humanity;
calls on the international community, the European Union and its Member States to take all necessary measures to protect the role of the ICC from any action that directly or indirectly seeks to undermine it, and to shield its officials from unlawful sanctions or threats to their independence and freedom;
recalls that acting to defend the ICC is a moral and legal duty that the international community has undertaken to protect human rights, prevent future atrocities and ensure justice for victims.
December 22 ,2025
[1] https://medelnet.eu/medel-statement-in-support-of-the-international-criminal-court/
Download the statement (.pdf)