Letter to Norway’s Foreign Minister
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide,
Please find below an urgent call from civil society organisations around the globe strongly opposing the United States of America’s (US) efforts to impose sanctions related to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The statement is available here and included as an appendix to this letter.
Following the passing of a bill entitled “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act” (H.R. 23) in the US House of Representatives on 9 January, ICC States Parties and international and regional organisations need to stand behind the Court and act to ensure that it can continue its work undeterred.
We urge Norway, as well as the 124 other ICC states parties, to defend the ICC, its officials, and those cooperating with it from measures aimed at undermining the court’s vital mandate for justice and:
- Publicly condemn the use of sanctions to undermine the ICC and express strong, unconditional commitment to the ICC and its critical global mandate.
- Call on the United States to cease any efforts to undermine the Court’s independence and essential work while encouraging the United States to join the ICC and fully support victims’ access to justice.
- Cooperate fully with the ICC to consistently support the court’s work across all situations where the court acts and call on all other relevant actors to do the same. This should include the execution of all the court’s decisions and requests, in particular pending arrest warrants.
- Adopt and/or implement national and regional blocking statutes, such as the European Union (EU) blocking statute, that aims to shield European operators from the effects of extraterritorial sanctions. Blocking statutes and similar instruments can provide the Court and its partners with essential protection and send a powerful message that ICC member countries will not tolerate efforts to undermine the Court.
- Adopt other protective measures at the domestic, regional or international level, and engage with domestic and regional service providers to ensure they continue working with the Court.
- Adopt and implement measures and national frameworks to protect those cooperating with and supporting the court, including civil society organisations and human rights defenders.
We thank you for your support and cooperation.
Kind regards,
Berit Lindeman
Secretary-General
Gunnar M. Ekeløve-Slydal
Deputy Secretary-General