Attempts to discredit the international criminal court and obstruct its work cannot be tolerated if we are serious about upholding justice globally, write more than 50 former prime ministers, foreign ministers and senior international officials
Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court, speaks to reporters in Nyala, Sudan, on Monday. Photograph: Abdelmoniem Madibo/AFP/Getty Images
Letters
We welcome the support that European leaders have expressed for the international criminal court and its unique mandate of advancing justice following war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Consistent support for the ICC and promotion of its universal reach highlight Europe’s serious commitment to deter such violations and to promote a rules-based international order, peace and security.
It is clear that Europe has long benefited from multilateralism rooted in international law and the institutions that uphold it. Now, in a time of increasing challenges to the multilateral order and an independent judiciary in many corners of the world and within Europe itself, preserving the ICC’s legitimacy and mandate becomes an imperative.
We regret to see increasing attacks on the ICC, its staff and cooperating civil society groups. We witnessed with serious concern the executive order issued in the United States by former president Donald Trump and the sanctions designated against the court’s staff and their family members. Deeply worrying is now the unwarranted public criticism of the court regarding its investigation of alleged crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory, including unfounded accusations of antisemitism.
It is well established and recognised that accountability for serious rights violations by all sides to a conflict is essential for achieving sustainable and lasting peace. This is the case in Israel-Palestine, just as in Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan, Mali, Bangladesh/Myanmar, Colombia and Ukraine. Where there is no accountability for grave human rights violations, it is the victims seeking justice and people longing for lasting peace who are paying the price.
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Attempts to discredit the court and obstruct its work cannot be tolerated if we are serious about promoting and upholding justice globally. We understand fears of politically motivated complaints and investigations. Yet we strongly believe that the Rome Statuteguarantees the highest criteria of justice and provides a crucial avenue to address impunity for the world’s most serious crimes. Failure to act would have grave consequences.
In this context, we stress the importance of all European governments firmly supporting the independence of the ICC and shielding the institution and its staff from any external pressures or threats. That includes refraining from public criticism of the ICC’s decisions, which could contribute to undermining the independence of the court and public trust in its authority.
We welcome the Biden administration’s decision to rescind the executive order and lift the sanctions against the ICC. This will set grounds for opportunities to work on strengthening international justice institutions and norms together with our key transatlantic ally.
The ICC is a vital part of the rules-based international order. Now more than ever, Europe must lead by example in protecting the court’s independence.
Douglas AlexanderFormer minister of international development, UK Jean-Marc AyraultFormer foreign minister and prime minister, France Hans Blix Former foreign minister and former director general of the IAEA, Sweden Emma BoninoFormer foreign ministerand former European affairs minister and former European commissioner Ben BradshawFormer minister of state for the Middle East,UK Gro Harlem BrundtlandFormer prime minister, Norway John BrutonFormer prime minister, Ireland Micheline Calmy-ReyFormer foreign minister and president, Switzerland Ingvar CarlssonFormer prime minister, Sweden Gunilla CarlssonFormer minister for international development cooperation, Sweden Menzies CampbellFormer leader of the Liberal Democrat party, UK Willy ClaesFormer foreign minister and Nato secretary general, Belgium Joe CostelloFormer minister of state at the department of foreign affairs and trade, Ireland Massimo d’AlemaFormer foreign minister and prime minister, Italy Teresa Patrício de GouveiaFormer foreign minister, Portugal Karel de GuchtFormer foreign minister and European commissioner, Belgium Ruth DreifussFormer president, Switzerland Alan DuncanFormer minister of state for Europe and the Americas and minister of state for international development, UK Espen Barth EideFormer foreign minister, Norway Jan EliassonFormer foreign minister and UN general assembly president, Sweden Uffe Ellemann-JensenFormer foreign minister and president of the European Liberals, Denmark Benita Ferrero-WaldnerFormer foreign minister and European commissioner for external relations, Austria Charles FlanaganFormer minister of foreign affairs, Ireland Sigmar GabrielFormer foreign minister and vice-chancellor, Germany Bjørn Tore GodalFormer foreign minister, Norway Bertel HaarderPresident of the Nordic Council, former minister for European affairs and minister of the interior, Denmark Peter HainFormer minister for the Middle East, UK Lena Hjelm-WallénFormer foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Sweden Lionel JospinFormer prime minister, France Tom KittFormer minister of state for overseas development and human rights, Ireland Neil KinnockFormer European commissioner, former leader of the Labour party, UK Bert KoendersFormer foreign minister, the Netherlands Yves LetermeFormer foreign minister and prime minister, Belgium Martin Liedegaard Former foreign minister, Denmark Mogens LykketoftFormer foreign minister and UN general assembly president, Denmark Michael McDowellFormer minister of justice and former attorney general, Ireland Per Stig MøllerFormer foreign minister, Denmark Holger K NielsenFormer foreign minister, Denmark Lindsay NorthoverFormer parliamentary under-secretary of state for international development, UK Andrzej OlechowskiFormer foreign minister, Poland Marc OtteFormer EU special representative to the Middle East peace process, Belgium Ana PalacioFormer foreign minister, Spain Chris PattenFormer vice-president of the European commission and European commissioner for external relations, UK Jacques PoosFormer foreign minister, Luxembourg Mary RobinsonFormer president and UN high commissioner for human rights, Ireland Soraya RodriguezFormer secretary of state for international cooperation, Spain Robert SerryFormer UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, the Netherlands Javier SolanaFormer foreign minister, Nato secretary general and EU high representative for common foreign and security policy, Spain Erkki TuomiojaFormer foreign minister, Finland Ivo VajglFormer foreign minister, Slovenia Jozias van AartsenFormer foreign minister, the Netherlands Hubert VédrineFormer foreign minister, France Joris VoorhoeveFormer leader of the liberal party VVD and former minister of defence, the Netherlands Margot WallströmFormer deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Sweden Sayeeda WarsiFormer cabinet minister and Foreign Office minister for the UN, human rights and the ICC, UK
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