Geneva: The United Nations rights chief on Wednesday condemned the "unacceptable" US decision to slap fresh sanctions on International Criminal Court officials, urging countries to protect court officials against such "reprisals".
Washington on Tuesday imposed sanctions against ICC President Tomoko Akane of Japan as part of Washington's campaign against what it calls a "corrupt and fatally politicised" body.
It also applied sanctions to ICC Senior Trial Lawyer Abdoulaye Seye of Senegal, the Trump administration's latest salvo against The Hague-based court.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk joined a chorus of criticism against the latest move.
"Unacceptable new sanctions imposed by the USA against the International Criminal Court's President and a prosecution staff member must be lifted," his office said on X.
Turk renewed his "calls on States to stand in defence of the institutions they have created to uphold and defend human rights and the rule of law".
And he urged countries "to protect court officials targeted by such reprisals".
The United States, which is not a party to the international treaty that established the ICC in 2002, had already imposed sanctions against several of the court's officials.
