Netherlands Condemns US Sanctions on ICC Judges: Explained

The Netherlands has condemned the latest United States sanctions on two senior officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that the measures undermine the Hague-based tribunal's ability to investigate war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Dutch Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen said on 19 August 2026 that the Netherlands "naturally disapproves" of the sanctions targeting ICC President Tomoko Akane and senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye.

What are the new US sanctions on the ICC?

Washington announced the designations on 18 August 2026, freezing the two officials' assets in the United States and barring them from the US financial system and entry to the country. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Akane and Seye were "directly engaged" in ICC efforts to investigate or prosecute officials from countries that have not consented to the court's jurisdiction. Rubio has previously called the ICC a "sham" and warned it could be dismantled "stone by stone."

The latest measures follow a broader US campaign against the International Criminal Court that began after the tribunal issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The United States has never ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC.

How has the Netherlands responded as host country?

As the court's host state, the Netherlands says it has a special responsibility to protect the ICC. Berendsen revealed that The Hague has been working behind the scenes "for months" to soften the impact of sanctions for affected staff and that he raised the issue personally with Rubio a few weeks ago. "Unfortunately, this has not yet been effective," Berendsen said.

Berendsen also invited President Akane to discuss Dutch support for the court and its personnel. On social media he wrote that the Netherlands "disapproves" of the sanctions and that international courts must be able to freely carry out their mandates. The minister described the US language as "very sharp" but said the Netherlands would respond diplomatically. "It is our job to condemn this diplomatically, but also to do everything we can to allow the court to work," he said.

This stance aligns with broader Dutch support for international justice and follows similar condemnations from other states parties to the Rome Statute.

Japan and other states push back

Japan, the ICC's largest financial contributor, called the sanctions "very regrettable." Tokyo's foreign ministry said Japan has always supported the ICC in its efforts to prosecute the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. It is unclear whether Japan will take countermeasures, as it remains highly dependent on the United States militarily and rarely criticises Washington.

Impact on the ICC and international justice

The ICC called the designations a "flagrant attack on the independence of an impartial international tribunal." According to the court, nine of its eighteen judges, both deputy prosecutors, former chief prosecutor Karim Khan and one other staff member have now been targeted by US sanctions. The court warned that threatening judicial actors for applying the law endangers the international legal order and victims' access to justice.

The measures also complicate the ICC's day-to-day operations because the sanctioned officials cannot use the US financial system that underpins nearly all international banking. Rights groups have described the sanctions as an attempt to shield US and Israeli officials from accountability. The dispute intensified after the court's ICC arrest warrants against Israeli leaders prompted Netanyahu to call the tribunal a "kangaroo court."

FAQ: US sanctions on the ICC explained

Why did the US sanction ICC officials?

The Trump administration says the ICC is overstepping its mandate by investigating or prosecuting officials from countries, such as Israel and the United States, that are not parties to the Rome Statute.

Who are Tomoko Akane and Abdoulaye Seye?

Tomoko Akane is a Japanese judge and current president of the ICC. Abdoulaye Seye is a Senegalese senior trial lawyer in the Office of the Prosecutor who helped draft arrest warrants against Israeli leaders.

How many ICC officials have been sanctioned?

With the latest designations, nine of eighteen judges, both deputy prosecutors, the former chief prosecutor and one staff member have been targeted, according to the ICC.

What is the Netherlands doing to help the ICC?

The Netherlands, as host country, says it has been working behind the scenes for months to mitigate the impact of sanctions and has invited President Akane for talks on continued support.