Report on Supply Chain Compliance 3, no. 18 (September 17, 2020)
In an unprecedented move, the United States placed the International Criminal Court (ICC) director of jurisdiction, complementary and cooperation division, as well as its chief prosecutor, on the Office of Foreign Assets Control’s Specially Designated Nationals list.[1] The move blocks all the designated individuals’ assets and prevents U.S. citizens from doing business with them.
The sanctions come after the ICC ruled that an inquiry into war crimes in Afghanistan[2] —by all sides—could move forward. The Trump administration objects to ICC jurisdiction over U.S. soldiers[3] as well as ICC’s scrutiny of Israel.[4] It is yet unclear whether the inquiry into potential war crimes will continue or whether the U.S. sanctions against the ICC officials will derail the inquiry.
The court responded with a statement condemning the sanctions:[5]
“These coercive acts, directed at an international judicial institution and its civil servants, are unprecedented and constitute serious attacks against the Court, the Rome Statute system of international criminal justice, and the rule of law more generally.”