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The United States imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday, hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions, saying Washington would block transactions with the court and restrict its access to US financial services, technology companies and dollar-based transactions.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s campaign against the ICC over its investigations involving the United States and its allies, particularly Israel.
The court had issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 over alleged war crimes in Gaza.
Rubio warned that Washington would continue efforts to dismantle the court unless it addressed US concerns, while urging American allies that are ICC members to take action against the tribunal.
The ICC strongly rejected the sanctions, describing them as an attack on the rule of law and the independence of an international judicial institution. It vowed to continue its work independently and impartially.
Pillay, an 85-year-old South African jurist, received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to promote peace and international law.
She previously served as an ICC judge and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee said her recognition underscored the importance of international law at a time when judicial institutions and judges face growing political pressure.
