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<a class="gmail-domain gmail-reader-domain" href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-sanctions-icc-judge-tomoko-akane--senior-lawyer-abdoulaye">english.almayadeen.net</a>
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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">US sanctions ICC judge Tomoko Akane, senior lawyer Abdoulaye Seye</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time" dir="ltr">August 18, 2026</div>
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<div class="gmail-moz-reader-content gmail-reader-show-element"><div id="gmail-readability-page-1" class="gmail-page"><p>The
US has sanctioned ICC President Tomoko Akane and Senior Trial Lawyer
Abdoulaye Seye, barring them from entering the US and using its
financial system.</p><div><ul id="gmail-content-slick-0"><div aria-hidden="false"><li>
<a href="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/8/18/3c377624-f3e2-40b4-8427-bd4aebe7b3fc.jpg?width=1000" tabindex="0"><img src="https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2026/8/18/3c377624-f3e2-40b4-8427-bd4aebe7b3fc.jpg?width=1000&preset=w700" alt="Judge Tomoko Akane walks before delivering the verdict in the Al Hassan case at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday Nov. 20, 2024 (AP)" class="gmail-moz-reader-block-img"></a>
Judge Tomoko Akane walks before delivering the verdict in
the Al Hassan case at the International Criminal Court in The Hague,
Netherlands, Wednesday Nov. 20, 2024 (<em>AP</em>)
</li></div></ul>
<p>The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against International
Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane of Japan and Senior Trial Lawyer
Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal as part of its campaign <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/venezuela-quits-icc-as-us-meddling-deepens-in-post-maduro-tr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">against the body that it claims is "politicized"</a>.</p>
<p>The measures bar them from entering the US and from transactions in the US financial system.</p>
<p>"These individuals have <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/eu-slams-threats-against-icc-as--unacceptable--amid-us-campa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directly engaged in efforts by the ICC</a>
to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government
has not consented to ICC jurisdiction," US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio said in a statement.</p>
<h2>US declares diplomatic war against ICC for 'Israel'</h2>
<p>The US, which is not a party to the <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/trump-vows-to-shield-netanyahu--repeats-unfounded-claims-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener">international treaty that established the ICC</a>, has already imposed sanctions against several of the court's officials.</p>
<p>It is largely a response to ICC investigations targeting "Israel", a
US ally. In 2024, the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza.</p>
<p>Last month, the United States <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-launches-sweeping-campaign-to-isolate--undermine-icc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched a major diplomatic offensive</a>
against the ICC, accusing it of "threatening" Americans and calling on
partners to withdraw from the body, a move already announced by Chad and
Venezuela, among others.</p>
<h3>Earlier sanctions</h3>
<p>The United States first targeted the International Criminal Court
with sanctions under President Donald Trump on February 6, 2025, when he
signed an executive order imposing measures on the tribunal over what
Washington called <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/niger-formally-begins-icc-withdrawal-in-sahel-sovereignty-pu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"illegitimate and baseless actions"</a> against the US and its ally "Israel".</p>
<p>On June 5, 2025, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on four
ICC judges: Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, Beti Hohler of Slovenia, Luz
del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, and Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda.
The measures froze their US-based assets and restricted their entry into
the United States.</p>
<p>Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that two of the judges were
sanctioned for authorizing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, while the
other two were targeted for overseeing investigations into US military
conduct in Afghanistan.</p>
<p>On August 20, 2025, Washington announced a second round of sanctions,
targeting Canadian judge Kimberly Prost, French judge Nicolas Guillou,
and deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji and Mame Mandiaye
Niang of Senegal. The measures barred the four individuals from
accessing US assets and prohibited American citizens and companies from
conducting business with them.</p>
<p>According to court documents filed in June 2026, three sanctioned <a href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/icc-judges-sue-trump-over-his-retaliatory-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICC judges have sued the Trump administration</a>
seeking to have the penalties lifted, arguing the sanctions were
"illegal" and designed to "punish and coerce" judicial officials.</p></div></div></div>
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