EU says US sanctions threaten ICC's independence

New York [US], February 8: The EU on Friday warned sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) threaten its independence and the wider judicial system, after US President Donald Trump punished the court over its probes into America and Israel, AFP reported.
Trump signed an executive order on Thursday saying the court in The Hague had "abused its power" by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he held talks earlier this week.
"Sanctioning the ICC threatens the Court's independence and undermines the international criminal justice system as a whole," Antonio Costa, who heads the European Council representing the EU's 27 member states, wrote on X.
The European Commission separately expressed "regret" regarding Trump's sanctions, stressing the ICC's "key importance in upholding international criminal justice and the fight against impunity."
The executive order risks "affecting ongoing investigations and proceedings, including as regards Ukraine, impacting years of efforts to ensure accountability around the world," said a commission spokesman.
Source: Emirates News Agency