The Government of Spain has expressed its rejection of the new sanctions announced this Friday by the Trump Administration against the International Criminal Court (ICC) and has reiterated its support for the court, emphasizing that this support means standing on the side of "the victims of the most serious crimes."
"Spain deplores the decision of the United States Government to impose new sanctions against the ICC and reaffirms its unwavering support for the Court, champion of the fight against impunity for the most serious international crimes," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated in a statement in which it has assured that its "commitment" to the high court as well as to "the fight against impunity is firm and ongoing."
"Defending the Court is defending the victims of the most serious international crimes, demanding accountability from their perpetrators, and preserving the multilateral order based on norms, principles that Spain will continue to defend firmly," the diplomatic portfolio has added.
At the same time, the U.S. Treasury has intensified its offensive against the ICC this Friday, accusing it of being a "corrupt supranational body" and "politicized" that exceeds its competencies. In total, 17 people, including thirteen judges and prosecutors of the ICC, are already on Washington's 'blacklist' in response to the investigation opened into Israel for alleged war crimes in the Gaza Strip.
On this occasion, the announcement of the sanctions came just hours after it was made public that the former ICC judge Navanethem 'Navi' Pillay has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, a long-coveted honor by the current occupant of the White House.