ICC leaders condemn efforts to erode international legal order

September 4, 2026 at 06:51 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Current and former presidents of the ICC's governing body condemned diplomatic efforts to isolate the court, saying they erode confidence in the international legal order. The joint op-ed was published Thursday as the Trump administration sanctioned ICC officials and pressured countries to distance themselves from the court.

Key Facts

Paivi Kaukoranta, current president of the ICC's Assembly of States Parties, and seven former presidents signed the joint op-ed published Thursday.
The authors called on the ICC's 125 member states to provide political, legal and practical backing to the court.
The op-ed appeared on the Just Security law and policy journal's website.
The US is not a member of the ICC and has opposed cases involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and past investigations involving US personnel.

Joint Op-Ed

Paivi Kaukoranta, the current president of the ICC's Assembly of States Parties, and seven former presidents signed the joint op-ed published Thursday. The piece appeared on the Just Security law and policy journal's website. The authors argued that the ICC represented a collective decision by sovereign states to create rules for prosecuting genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. They stressed that the court is not intended to replace national justice systems, calling it a court of last resort.

US Pressure

The Trump administration sanctioned ICC judges and officials and pressured countries to distance themselves from the court. The US, which is not a member of the ICC, has strongly opposed its cases involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and past investigations involving US personnel. The current and former assembly presidents framed the dispute more broadly, warning against a world in which political power determines when international law applies.

Call to Action

The authors called on the ICC's 125 member states, international and regional organisations and other supporters of international law to provide the court with political, legal and practical backing. They urged governments to resist pressure to weaken the court. They wrote that the choice is between a world based on the rule of law and one where might decides what is right.