DAKAR, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- The Senegalese government on Thursday expressed "deep concern" over U.S. sanctions against Abdoulaye Seye, a Senegalese national and member of the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement, the Ministry of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad expressed "full solidarity" with Seye, who has also been nominated by Senegal as a candidate for election as an ICC judge, as well as with other ICC officials and personnel targeted by the sanctions.
Senegal, the first country to ratify the Rome Statute, said the ICC remains an essential pillar in the fight against impunity and a fundamental instrument of international criminal justice.
Any measure that could hamper the independence, security or ability of ICC judges and personnel to perform their duties risks undermining the integrity and proper functioning of international criminal justice, the statement said.
The Senegalese government also reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism, international law and the independence of international justice, saying it would continue consultations with African and international partners to safeguard the integrity, independence and effective functioning of the ICC.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan and Seye, saying the two had directly engaged in efforts by the court to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute nationals of countries that had not consented to the ICC's jurisdiction.
On July 13, the U.S. State Department announced a multi-agency initiative aimed at "systematically degrading the operational capacity" of the ICC to prevent it from taking action against U.S. service members or government officials and from otherwise "threatening U.S. sovereignty."
In recent years, Washington has repeatedly imposed sanctions on ICC judges and prosecutors, citing the court's investigations involving U.S. personnel and its arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and former defense minister. ■
