US ICC sanctions: expert comment and interviews

The US State Department announced new sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors in the ICC for engaging in efforts to prosecute US and Israeli citizens.

Dr Benjamin Thorne, Dr Benjamin Thorne, Lecturer in Criminal Law at the University of Reading School of Law, provides expert comment on the sanctions. Dr Thorne is available for interview. Contact the University of Reading Press Office on 0118 378 5757 or pressoffice@reading.ac.uk to arrange.

Dr Benjamin Thorne, Lecturer in Criminal Law at the University of Reading School of Law, said: “The international response to escalating US sanctions against the International Criminal Court has shown a concerning decline in public support since February. The latest round targets four ICC officials—including French judge Nicolas Guillou and Canadian judge Kimberly Prost—for their roles in issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders and investigating US personnel. While some states like France have expressed "dismay," the more critical issue is the absence of concrete collective action by state parties and institutions.

“Public declarations have lost their effectiveness with the Trump administration, which views the ICC as a "national security threat" and "instrument of lawfare." The 125 ICC state parties and EU institutions must move beyond symbolic gestures toward material support if they genuinely value international justice. Belgium's recent call for implementing the EU Blocking Statute represents the kind of substantive action needed, though it remains a minority position.

“This creates a strategic dilemma: meaningful support for the ICC risks provoking harsher US retaliation, potentially including comprehensive court sanctions. However, if states truly regard international judicial accountability as fundamental—rather than merely rhetorical—this moment demands decisive action to defend an institution they claim to value.

Without such material responses, the international justice project faces a critical test of its practical relevance and state commitment.”