The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court President, Tomoko Akane, escalating the Trump administration’s campaign against the Hague-based tribunal.
The U.S. Treasury Department said the sanctions target the Japanese judge, whose role at the ICC includes overseeing the court’s work on war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
Washington has previously sanctioned several ICC prosecutors and judges over the court’s investigations and arrest warrants involving Israeli leaders, as well as its past investigation into U.S. military activities in Afghanistan.
The sanctions can freeze any assets held by the targeted individuals in the United States and restrict their access to the U.S. financial system.
The latest action comes after the Trump administration pledged to intensify efforts against the ICC, with Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, saying Washington would seek to persuade other countries to distance themselves from the court.
The United States is not a member of the ICC and has consistently challenged the court’s jurisdiction over American personnel.
The ICC, however, maintains that it can prosecute atrocity crimes committed on the territory of member states, including cases involving nationals of countries that are not members of the court.
