US sanctions ICC President Akane and lawyer Seye

The United States has announced new sanctions on two senior International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, extending a pressure campaign against the Hague-based tribunal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the measures target ICC President Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye.

According to the statement, the designations impose asset freezes and travel bans. US officials described the step as part of an escalating effort by the Trump administration aimed at limiting the court’s ability to operate.

Sanctions expand to ICC President and senior trial Sanctions expand to ICC President and senior trial lawyer The United States Officials said the administration’s approach is driven by objections to ICC efforts to pursue investigations involving officials from countries that have not accepted ICC jurisdiction. In US statements, the policy has been framed as a defense of national sovereignty. Officials also said the broader strategy is intended to deter cooperation with the court among ICC member states. The latest move adds the ICC’s president and a senior trial lawyer to a growing list of sanctioned individuals linked to the institution. How the restrictions operate under US emergency powers The administration said the sanctions are implemented through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Under this framework, sanctioned individuals face constraints on financial dealings that involve US-linked institutions or the US dollar, officials said. Officials said the mechanism is designed to isolate targeted individuals from the global financial system and increase pressure on the court’s operational capacity. The travel bans announced alongside the financial penalties also restrict entry under the measures described in the statement. At least 11 ICC officials now under US sanctions With the addition of Akane and Seye, officials said the total number of ICC officials under US sanctions has reached at least 11. The sanctioned group includes judges as well as the court’s chief prosecutor, according to officials. US officials have presented the widening list as US officials have presented the widening list as part of a broader strategy aimed at discouraging external cooperation with the tribunal. They have repeatedly said Washington views the ICC as a challenge to US sovereignty when it seeks to pursue cases tied to non-consenting states.

New York federal court challenges remain unresolved

Human rights organizations and judges affected by the measures have filed legal challenges in New York federal courts, and those cases remain pending. The filings argue the sanctions amount to unlawful coercion and interfere with international legal mandates.

Officials did not indicate whether the litigation could change the current sanctions regime. It also remains unclear, based on the information provided, whether additional ICC officials could be added in the future.

For now, the latest designations mark a further step in the administration’s campaign against the court’s leadership and operations, with the practical impact centered on financial access and international travel for the individuals named.