Top ICC official urges Europe to shield court from US sanctions

{"text":[[{"start":10.2,"text":"A senior official at the International Criminal Court urged the EU to immediately implement protections against sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, saying it was “unfair” the court and its providers are managing the burden alone."}],[{"start":24.6,"text":"ICC registrar Osvaldo Zavala Giler, who is overseeing the court’s response to the sanctions, said the EU should activate a “blocking statute” allowing European companies to disregard the US extraterritorial sanctions."}],[{"start":37.52,"text":"“Our position is that we should do this as soon as possible,” Zavala Giler told the FT. “It’s an instrument that is reasserting European sovereignty.”"}],[{"start":47.658,"text":"The US announced sweeping sanctions against the ICC last month in an escalation of Trump’s campaign to dismantle what he calls an “anti-American tribunal”. The October sanctions order gave most companies 180 days to stop trading with The Hague-based war tribunal."}],[{"start":63.76,"text":"The blocking statute would allow European companies to not comply with US extraterritorial sanctions, meaning they can continue providing services to the court. However, EU countries and the European Commission have been reluctant to take any measures before the sanctions come into full effect."}],[{"start":79.56,"text":"“What I think is unfair [is] . . . we are now in a situation where banks and other service providers are the ones that have to assess by themselves the risk of co-operating with the court or not, rather than having this done at the state’s level,” Zavala Giler said."}],[{"start":93.98,"text":"A spokesperson for the European Commission said: “We continue to pursue diplomatic outreach, jointly with other state parties, with the objective to have the sanctions lifted”. It added: “We stand ready to take any measures necessary to protect the court’s work.”"}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":108.16,"text":"The ICC cut ties with its health insurance provider, Axa, last month in the face of looming sanctions over fears they would force the insurer to stop doing business with the court."}],[{"start":118.24,"text":"Announcing the sanctions last month, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said the aim was to find “a diplomatic solution” that addressed US “concerns” before the deadline expired, without specifying what that would involve."}],[{"start":127.92,"text":"EU countries have since said this “creates space for diplomacy, with a view to securing the prompt reversal of these measures”, according to conclusions agreed by EU leaders in mid-October at their last summit."}],[{"start":140.08,"text":"In late October, the Commission told companies to “continue providing services to the ICC as before, enabling the court to continue carrying out its mandate in full” while diplomatic negotiations were ongoing."}],[{"start":154.32,"text":"“Political reassurances, political support is very effective and it’s important . . . but it needs to be matched with real legal and operational certainty,” said Zavala Giler."}],[{"start":162.48,"text":"He said it was not clear what “solution” the US was looking for. The court has not engaged in any direct talks with the US in a bid to protect its independence, instead relying on the EU and states to advocate on its behalf."}],[{"start":175.6,"text":"The ICC has faced intense scrutiny over the past two years after its former chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, secured arrest warrants against Israeli leader and US ally Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes in Gaza."}],[{"start":191.16,"text":"Khan was ousted from his role in July over allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. The court opened applications for a new chief prosecutor last week."}],[{"start":206.36,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1793780498_8813.mp3"}