RASC News Agency: Richard Bennett, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, has highlighted the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) commitment to delivering justice for victims of international crimes, including those in Afghanistan. In a post on X, Bennett endorsed a recent call by UN experts urging the U.S. Senate to reject proposed sanctions against the ICC. He stated that such punitive measures and threats against the ICC and its personnel only serve to perpetuate impunity in situations where justice is urgently required. UN experts, in a joint statement, criticized the U.S. House of Representatives for passing a bill aimed at sanctioning the ICC in response to its investigations into alleged crimes by Israeli officials. On January 11, the House approved the “Countering Illegitimate Court Act” with 243 votes in favor.
The legislation imposes sanctions on the ICC for investigating, arresting, or prosecuting any U.S. citizen or ally, including Israeli nationals, who are not members of the court. It further revokes all U.S. financial contributions previously allocated to the ICC and prohibits future funding for the institution. In their statement, UN experts called on the U.S. Senate to oppose the bill, which seeks to undermine the ICC’s mandate by imposing financial and operational restrictions. This legislative action follows the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants two months ago for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” related to the Gaza conflict.
Previously, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the ICC Prosecutor for investigating allegations of war crimes committed by U.S. military forces in Afghanistan. Bennett and the UN experts warn that these measures undermine the ICC’s essential role in ensuring accountability and delivering justice to victims of atrocities. They stressed that the ICC’s mission is critical in addressing impunity, particularly in cases involving severe violations of human rights and international law. The experts reiterated their support for the ICC’s efforts to safeguard justice and uphold the rule of law in global conflicts.
