NEW YORK, 9 October 2026 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned United States sanctions against the International Criminal Court, according to the UN spokesperson’s latest briefing highlights.
The response placed international criminal justice at the centre of the UN’s public statements on Friday, as the Court separately announced that the measures targeted the institution itself.
In its own statement dated 9 October, the ICC rejected the sanctions and described them as a challenge to judicial independence and the international legal order.
The Court said its treaty-based mandate covers genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. It stressed the interests of victims seeking justice.
ICC President Tomoko Akane said the institution would continue its work independently and impartially, guided by law and evidence.
The ICC is an independent treaty-based court with a cooperation relationship with the United Nations. The two institutions’ statements represent separate responses to the same sanctions announcement.
References
- UN Secretary-General: latest statements and briefing highlights, 9 October 2026
- ICC statement, 9 October 2026
Illustrative photograph of Lady Justice; not a photograph of the ICC. Photo: Tingey Injury Law Firm / Unsplash.