🇺🇸 The United States has sanctioned International Criminal Court President Tomoko Akane, a Japanese judge, along with senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, per the US Treasury Department.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the designations Tuesday under Executive Order 14203, saying the two "directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute officials whose government has not consented to ICC jurisdiction." The sanctions freeze any US assets Akane holds and largely cut her off from the US financial system. Treasury issued a general license authorizing wind-down of transactions involving Akane through September 17.

It is the latest escalation in Washington's campaign against the Hague-based court, which is not recognized by the US. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and previously opened a probe into US military conduct in Afghanistan.

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