Slovenia critical of US sanctions against ICC
Ljubljana, 7 February - Condemning the sanctions imposed by the US against the International Criminal Court (ICC), President Nataša Pirc Musar said on Friday that they constituted a complete denial of history and they ignored law as a foundation of international relations. The Foreign Ministry also responded, saying that Slovenia regretted the decision of the US.
The Hague, the Netherlands
The seat of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Photo: Nebojša Tejić/STA
President Pirc Musar said that it is "concerning that the US is undermining the foundations of the international criminal law that it helped to build. The extent of the sanctions and their justification are nothing but a complete denial of history and ignoring law as a foundation of modern international relations."
International criminal law started developing with the support of the US in 1946 at the Nuremberg trials where suspects accused of crimes against humanity during WWII were tried.
"Crimes against humanity are crimes that have no statute of limitations and that no one can be exempt from," the president said.
She expressed her support for the initiative of Rome Statute signatories to defend the ICC and its employees, including the Slovenian ICC judge Beti Hohler, to whom Pirc Musar said to "continue her work, despite the hurdles set by the global superpower".
The US executive order in question is sending a dangerous message into the world that ICC judges are sanctioned "just because they prosecute suspects for these crimes", the president said. The right message to the international community would be that the only assurance for individuals to not be persecuted is to not take part in committing crimes against humanity.
The Foreign Ministry also responded, saying that Slovenia regretted the decision of the US, and noting that "in the interest of justice, judicial institutions and their staff must be allowed to act independently."
The ministry added that they must be protected from threats and external influences, and that Slovenia advocated for the respect of the rule of law, including international law, and court decisions.
The reactions come after US President Donald Trump approved on Thursday sanctions against all ICC employees that prosecute, arrest or investigate Americans or allies from countries not signatories to the Rome Statute. Trump said processes against Americans and allies were a threat to the national security.
The ICC and the EU condemned the sanctions against the world's top criminal court, while Israel praised Trump for imposing them.