US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has threatened to dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC) "brick by brick," accusing it of threatening the entire US legal system. The State Department outlined measures including visa restrictions on ICC staff, tougher sanctions, and increased scrutiny of countries that do not reject the court's "illegitimate authority."

The US is not an ICC member, but the court can prosecute crimes committed in member states, leading to arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Rubio claimed that without action, US Border Patrol agents and Marines could be "left at the mercy of foreign judges thousands of miles away."

Legal experts say this marks a significant escalation. Andreas Schüller of the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights noted that the US has been using diplomatic pressure for over a year to change countries' positions on the ICC, and the new campaign is broader and more strategic.

Kai Ambos, an international law expert at the University of Göttingen, warned of a "chilling effect" that could make ICC prosecutors more cautious and lead companies to avoid working with the court due to sanctions risks. He stressed the importance of accountability for serious crimes in conflicts like Ukraine and Gaza.

The EU and Germany have voiced support for the ICC. Ironically, in 2022, the US Senate passed a resolution describing the ICC as "an international tribunal that seeks to uphold the rule of law," co-sponsored by then-Senator Marco Rubio.

Source: www.dw.com