Accra:The Palestinian Bar Association has voiced strong opposition to the US-imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), highlighting the potential risks these measures pose to international justice and the prosecution of international crimes. The association underscored the importance of safeguarding victims' rights to access justice, particularly for the Palestinian people.
According to Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA, the association's statement emphasized that sanctions against the Court, its staff, and cooperating entities undermine the judicial institution and the broader principles of the international legal system, such as judicial independence and accountability for serious international crimes.
The association reiterated the ICC's role as a key mechanism for combating impunity under the Rome Statute and warned that any actions hindering its work or independence should be carefully assessed against international law. It called for the independence of international justice to remain free from political influence and for judicial institutions to perform their duties without interference or intimidation.
The association appealed to States Parties to the Rome Statute to uphold their responsibilities in supporting the Court and to take appropriate measures to mitigate the effects of the sanctions. It also urged international bar associations, lawyers' unions, and legal and human rights organizations to stand firm in defending judicial independence and resist pressures that could compromise the international justice system.
Reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law, human rights, and judicial redress, the association stressed that justice for the Palestinian people relies on sustained legal accountability and adherence to international conventions. The ICC, founded under the Rome Statute effective from 2002, holds jurisdiction over serious crimes, including those committed in Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, following its 2021 jurisdictional ruling.