(New York) – The United States government on October 9, 2026, sanctioned the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing jurisdiction over crimes by US nationals abroad. This follows sanctions by the current Trump administration against ICC prosecutors and judges, three Palestinian human rights groups, and Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Human Rights Watch, together with three other human rights organizations, filed a lawsuit in US federal court on August 11 seeking to have the sanctions struck down.
The following quote can be attributed to Philippe Bolopion, executive director at Human Rights Watch:
“The Trump administration has made clear its aim to destroy the ICC to shield US and Israeli officials from facing charges before the court. The ICC was created to ensure that no one, no matter how powerful, is above the law. Governments that value human rights and accountability should condemn this outrageous move and take swift action to protect the ICC, its staff, and all those who cooperate with it, starting with the European Union using its laws to mitigate the sanctions’ impact in the region.”
