US Secretary Marco Rubio vows to dismantle ICC

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Washington is considering a series of measures aimed at “dismantling the International Criminal Court brick by brick.” The State Department said the options include new sanctions, entry bans for ICC personnel, and intensified diplomatic pressure on countries that recognise the court’s jurisdiction while receiving U.S. aid.

Legal scholars warned that such actions could undermine the only permanent tribunal that prosecutes genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression. The ICC, founded in 2002, currently has 125 member states; the United States, Russia and China are among the non‑members. The court has previously issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Andreas Schüller of the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights said the U.S. campaign represents a “strategic, long‑term effort to weaken the ICC and pressure allies to withdraw support.”