The Senegalese government expressed its “astonishment” on Thursday following sanctions imposed by the United States against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), including a Senegalese judge.
The Senegalese Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, in a statement, confirmed that Mame Mandiaye Niang was among those targeted by the sanctions, describing the move as a “serious infringement” on the independence of international justice.
In a statement released Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Nicolas Guillou (France), Nazhat Shameem Khan (Fiji), Mame Mandiaye Niang (Senegal), and Kimberly Prost (Canada) of having “directly participated in efforts undertaken by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute U.S. or Israeli nationals without the consent of either country.”
“Senegal calls on the U.S. authorities to lift these sanctions, which constitute a serious violation of the principle of judicial independence and of the right of ICC judges to freely and calmly carry out the mandate entrusted to them by the 125 States Parties to the Rome Statute,” the Senegalese ministry said.
The Rome Statute, which defines the jurisdiction of the ICC, was first ratified by Senegal.
The statement added that Senegal reaffirmed its “full solidarity with Judge Niang” and the other magistrates targeted by the U.S. sanctions, while the Ministry of African Integration and Foreign Affairs assured the ICC of its “steadfast support.” Enditem
Source: Xinhua
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