Dutch FM "disturbed" by U.S. sanctions against International Criminal Court

Minster Stef Blok of Foreign Affairs is "very disturbed" by measures the United States government threatened to take against the International Criminal Court in The Hague and its employees. He reiterated the Netherlands' full support of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in a statement posted on Twitter.

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will impose economic and other sanctions against ICC employees, including visa restrictions on their families, after the Court announced that it is launching an investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan. The US also said it was launching a counter investigation into the ICC, accusing the court of corruption.

Blok called this disturbing. "We call on the US not to sanction ICC staff. The Netherlands fully supports the ICC and will continue to do so. The ICC is crucial in the fight against impunity and in upholding international rule of law," the Dutch Foreign Minister said on Twitter.

The ICC also published a response, expressing its "profound regret" at these"latest in a series of unprecedented attacks on the ICC". The Court stands by its staff and officials, it said. "These attacks constitute an escalation and an unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law and the Court's judicial proceedings."