The head of the International Criminal Court said on Monday that American sanctions imposed on senior ICC officials have created personal and financial difficulties, yet insisted the court will not alter its work under political pressure. Judge Tomoko Akane made the remarks in The Hague as the institution opened its annual gathering of member states, at a moment of intense scrutiny from Washington.
Sanctions from the Trump administration earlier this year targeted nine ICC officials, including judges and prosecutors involved in investigations of alleged Israeli war crimes. Sources told Reuters that the United States is now considering an even broader measure that would extend penalties to the entire court.
Court leadership rejects political influence as tensions escalate
Akane said the restrictions had affected daily life for those singled out, particularly because the financial measures reach far beyond U.S. borders. Although the officials live and work in Europe, they struggled with routine transactions because global banks maintain close ties to the American financial system.
Yet Akane emphasized that the ICC’s mandate remains untouched. She said the court would not accept any external pressure when interpreting its statutes or ruling on cases. Her comments came as the institution continues to pursue highly sensitive investigations.
The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and members of Hamas over alleged crimes committed during the Gaza war. All deny the accusations. The United States previously imposed sanctions on ICC figures over their work in both the Israel cases and a separate investigation involving Afghanistan, which initially reviewed possible offenses by U.S. forces.
The court was established in 2002 to prosecute genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity when national jurisdictions cannot or will not act. It can pursue cases involving citizens of member states or crimes committed on their territory. Akane said that mission will not change, even as political disagreements intensify.
![Terry Rozier pleads not guilty to sports betting charges By Reuters December 8, 20257:45 PM GMT-4Updated 3 hours ago Item 1 of 3 Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz [1/3]Terry Rozier, a guard with the NBA's Miami Heat, departs the Brooklyn Federal courthouse, after entering a plea in a criminal case alleging he shared non-public information with sports bettors ahead of games, in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab December 8 - Facing federal wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges for his alleged role in an illegal sports gambling scheme, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday in New York. Rozier, 31, was released on a $3 million bond. Rozier's co-defendant, Deniro Laster, also appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. He was released on $50,000 bond. He and Rozier were arrested in October in connection with a federal investigation into illicit gambling. Advertisement · Scroll to continue In an indictment from the U.S. Justice Department, Rozier was accused of tipping off Laster that he planned to leave a game for the Charlotte Hornets game early by feigning an injury. Laster and other conspirators then used that knowledge to "place and direct more than $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier's ‘under' statistics (i.e., that Rozier would underperform)." The NBA had previously investigated suspicious prop bets placed on Rozier's unders in 2023 but did not find evidence he had violated league rules. The league placed Rozier on leave following the indictment and his arrest. An investigation into Rozier has been underway since a March 23, 2023, game when Rozier played for the Hornets. Sportsbooks reported unusual betting activities on prop bets -- all on the under -- in a game Rozier left after 10 minutes, claiming a foot injury. Advertisement · Scroll to continue The indictment alleges Rozier made it known to associates that he would depart the game early, and more than $200,000 was wagered on the under, with a share of the winnings given to Rozier. With the next status update on the case set for March 3, Rozier's lawyer, Jim Trusty, told reporters he plans to file a motion for dismissal Tuesday. Evan Corcoran, Laster's lawyer, said he would likely do the same for his client. Trusty went on to say that he will meet with the NBA in an arbitration hearing on Dec. 17, per The Athletic, to contest that Rozier's leave is unpaid. The guard was placed on unpaid leave by the league one week after he was arrested, which caused the National Basketball Players Association to file a grievance with the league. Rozier entered the league as a first-round draft pick of the Boston Celtics in 2015. He is playing this season on the final year of a four-year, $96.3 million deal he signed with the Hornets and has $160.4 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.](https://arbitrationmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/terry-rozier-sports-150x150.avif)
