US prepares sanctions on entire International Criminal Court, Reuters reports

The Trump administration has prepared sanctions targeting the entire International Criminal Court (ICC) and intends to announce them soon, according to a Reuters report citing two sources familiar with the matter. The move would expand measures that Washington has already imposed on a number of ICC judges and prosecutors.

The United States has been pressing the ICC to drop arrest warrants issued for Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Washington has already sanctioned several judges and prosecutors associated with the court. The reported plan would extend sanctions to the organisation as a whole as well as to entities that cooperate with it, a step that could severely undermine the court's operations.

The ICC's registrar and president have warned that such sanctions could affect a wide range of activities, including the purchasing of IT services and insurance, the hiring of investigators, and routine financial transactions such as paying dozens of American employees. These functions are essential to the court's day-to-day work and its ability to conduct investigations.

The reported preparations follow earlier US measures against individual ICC officials. The court has continued its proceedings despite the pressure, and the prospect of sanctions on the institution itself has raised concerns among its staff and partner entities about the practical impact on its operations.

According to Mehr News, which cited the Reuters report, the sanctions are expected to be announced soon. The report did not specify a timeline or the exact scope of the measures beyond their application to the court and cooperating entities.