Labor Friends of Palestine has urged the Federal Government to “publicly oppose Trump Administration sanctions that could apply asset freezes and travel bans on Australians and their families working with the International Criminal Court (ICC)”.

From the statement:

The Government should clarify its intended response and any protections that Australia will provide to Australian nationals sanctioned by the US.

The sweeping Executive Order signed by President Trump on 6 February, 2025, targets any ‘foreign person’ engaged in or supporting certain ICC investigations and prosecutions. 

The Executive Order authorises extensive ‘blocking’ of property and assets held in the US and travel sanctions including against family members.

All Australians working for or with the ICC face potentially severe consequences under the US sanctions. 

These include special advisors appointed to the ICC Prosecutor, young professionals working under the ICC Junior Professional Officer Programme, Australians working with the ICC in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Australians employed in other ICC roles.

Australia is one of 125 State Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC since 2002 and one of the Court’s top financial contributors.

The ICC is a key component of the international law structure which Australia has vocally supported throughout the current crisis in Gaza and the Middle East.

The ICC has called on its State Parties to stand against the sanctions which the ICC said ‘harm its independent and impartial judicial work’.

Australia did not sign a public statement supporting the ICC issued on 7 February by 79 member States including the UK and Canada.