'The decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor,' says spokesperson
The UN on Wednesday expressed concern over the US' decision to impose new sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that such measures "undermine the foundation of international justice."
The UN "firmly believes that the ICC is a key pillar of international criminal justice," spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a news conference after he was asked about Washington's latest decision to sanction four ICC officials, including a judge who authorized the arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
"We respect their work," Dujarric said, highlighting that the UN is "very concerned about the decisions taken to further hit ICC officials with sanctions under the order that came out from the United States."
However, he noted that the court is an institution separate from the UN and that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres "has no authority or control over it."
Dujarric also stressed that the US "decision imposes severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor and respect for all the situations that are currently before the court."
"Judicial independence is a basic principle that must be respected, and these types of measures undermine the foundation of international justice," he affirmed.
Israel has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, devastating the enclave, which faces famine.
The country also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
