Indonesia calls intl laws to be respected as US seeks to dismantle ICC

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia reaffirmed that international legal principles and institutions must be respected by all nations as the United States seeks to undermine the International Criminal Court (ICC)'s ability to operate.

"As a nation that upholds international law and peaceful resolution to disputes, Indonesia always encourages all nations to respect the principles of international law," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang told ANTARA on Friday.

Indonesia welcomes "all legal endeavors within the international corridor that prioritize accountability, impartiality, and non-selective principles," she stated.

Indonesia also respects the right of all parties to pursue legal action through the ICC, she said, while noting that Indonesia is not subject to the ICC's jurisdiction because it is not a state party to the Rome Statute.

Mewengkang said that Indonesia continues its close observation of developments regarding US actions against the ICC.

"Indonesia will also prioritize a constructive approach in multilateral forums," she remarked, adding that the move aligns with Indonesia's free and active foreign policy principles.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday (July 13) announced a "sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat" that he said the ICC poses to US sovereignty.

Rubio said "no diplomatic option will be off-limits" in the campaign, including possibly urging member countries to withdraw from the ICC and stepping up sanctions against the body and its affiliated organizations, as reported by Kyodo.

He also said the United States, a non-ICC member, could call on its allies and nations that "enjoy the benefits" of the U.S. security umbrella to reject the ICC's "purported authority" to prosecute American officials and servicemen.

US President Donald Trump's administration has criticized the ICC for previously opening an investigation into U.S. military personnel over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan and for issuing an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his country's military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The announcement was responded to negatively by several countries, with France, Japan, and the Netherlands issuing separate statements of concern about the US actions and reaffirming their support for the international court.

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Translator: Nabil Ihsan

Editor: Azis Kurmala

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