Support the ICC as a Vital Court of Last Resort for Victims of Grave International Crimes

As US organizations from across civil society—including legal, human rights, faith-based, humanitarian, academic, and democracy organizations—alongside advocates for victims and survivors of atrocity crimes, prominent scholars, legal practitioners, diplomats, and civil servants, we are alarmed by the US administration’s announced campaign to “dismantle” and “systematically disable” the International Criminal Court (ICC), including reported threats of consequences for states that continue to support or cooperate with the Court.

As the country commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we are reminded that the American experiment rests on an enduring principle: that no one is above the law. An independent judiciary, the rule of law, and equal justice under law are values the United States has long championed both at home and abroad.

The United States played a defining role in the early development of international criminal justice. US Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson and Nuremberg prosecutor Benjamin B. Ferencz, a lifelong champion of international justice, including the ICC, and the promise of “Never Again,” promoted the enduring principle that the gravest crimes must be met with accountability under the law. That commitment continued through US support on a bipartisan basis for accountability efforts before dedicated courts set up to address grave crimes committed in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. And it continued to support the work of the ICC in countries including Sudan and Ukraine.

The ICC is an independent and impartial judicial institution created by states to investigate and prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, consistent with the principle that such crimes should not go unpunished. These are the only crimes within its jurisdiction. As a court of last resort, it reinforces—rather than replaces—the primary responsibility of states to investigate and prosecute these crimes. Efforts to intimidate, weaken, or dismantle the Court undermine confidence in the administration of justice and the international legal system itself. Most critically, they break a promise to victims and survivors that justice can prevail over impunity for crimes that shock the conscience of humanity and that no one is above the law.

We are concerned by any effort to pressure states for honoring the international legal commitments they have undertaken. The ICC has jurisdiction when a citizen of a non-state party commits crimes within its mandate on the territory of an ICC state party. US citizens who commit crimes abroad are subject to the jurisdiction of foreign courts. This is a well-established principle of international law.

We also express our solidarity with the judges, legal professionals, civil society organizations, and others who serve the cause of international justice with professionalism, independence, and fidelity to the law.

We urge the administration to withdraw this policy; refrain from actions that undermine the independence and functioning of the International Criminal Court or seek to discourage lawful cooperation with it; and reaffirm the longstanding commitment of the United States to justice, accountability, and the rule of law. July 17, International Justice Day, marks the adoption of the Rome Statute of the ICC. We reaffirm our commitment to accountability for atrocity crimes, to judicial independence, and the rule of law. We urge the US government to uphold that legacy.

Signatories (as of July 17, 2026)

Organizational Signatories

1. Advocacy Network for Justice and Peace (ANJP)
2. The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice
3. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
4. American Jewish World Service
5. Americans for Democratic Action
6. Amnesty International USA
7. Center for Constitutional Rights
8. Center for Development of International Law
9. Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
10. Center for International Policy
11. Center for Justice and Accountability
12. Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ)
13. Charity & Security Network
14. Citizens for Global Solutions-Education Fund
15. The Cora di Brazzà Foundation
16. cylindr magazine
17. Defending Rights & Dissent
18. Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN)
19. Ensaaf
20. Friends Committee on National Legislation
21. The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security
22. Global Justice Center
23. Human Rights First
24. Human Rights Watch
25. Human Security Project
26. ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
27. Indigenous Environmental Network
28. International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law (IANGEL)
29. International Criminal Court Alliance
30. Latin American Working Group (LAWG)
31. The Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy (LCNP)
32. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
33. New Lines Institute
34. NH Peace Action Education Fund
35. Peace Action
36. Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
37. The Reckoning Project
38. StoptheDrugWar.org
39. Syria Justice and Accountability Centre
40. United Church of Christ
41. United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia
42. Western States Legal Foundation
43. Whitestone Legal Advocacy
44. World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
45. World Without Genocide

Individual Signatories

1. Enid H. Adler, Esq
2. Edward Aguilar
3. Kirby Anwar, Visiting Associate Professor, CUNY School of Law
4. Hon. Lloyd Axworthy
5. Hon. Dr. Teta Banks
6. Patricia Barajas
7. Marisa R. Bassett, former Assistant Appeals Counsel, ICTY and IRMCT
8. Hala L. Bouhafa
9. Mike Brand, Director of the Human Security Project and Adjunct Professor of Mass Atrocities and International Law
10. Nancy Bremeau, Commissioner, Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women
11. Alison Brown
12. Thalia R. Brown, Founder and CEO, The Authentic Discussion
13. Dr. John Burroughs
14. Sean Butler, International Criminal Court Alliance
15. Jacqueline Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation
16. Andrea Carlise, Attorney-at-Law
17. Linda Carter, Professor of Law Emerita
18. Roger S. Clark, Professor
19. Donna Cline, International Criminal Lawyer
20. Lawrence Elias Couch
21. David M. Crane, Founding Chief Prosecutor UN Special Court for Sierra Leone
22. Tad Daley, Executive Director, Americans for Democratic Action
23. Tom Dannenbaum, Professor of Law
24. Christian De Vos, Visiting Assistant Professor, CUNY School of Law
25. Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Professor, Cardozo Law School
26. Maria Gevorgyan, Center for Truth and Justice (CFTJ)
27. Jennifer Glaudemans, Attorney-at-Law
28. Jonathan Hafetz, Professor of Law
29. Rebecca Hamilton, Professor of Law, American University, Washington College of Law
30. Sarah Elaine Harrison, Former Associate General Counsel, Department of Defense
31. Kimberly Hart, former Human Rights Team Lead at USAID
32. Ellen Kennedy, Executive Director, World Without Genocide
33. Celeste Kmiotek, Human Rights Lawyer
34. Martha Kruse
35. Winston E. Langley, Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Boston
36. David Mandel-Anthony, Former Deputy to the Ambassador at Large, Office of Global Criminal Justice, U.S. Department of State
37. Savanna Mapelli
38. Dr. Hope Elizabeth May, The Cora di Brazzà Foundation
39. Dr. Jacqueline R. McAllister, Chair of International Studies, Associate Professor of Political Science, Kenyon College
40. Alice McCarthy
41. Wambura Moenga, International Human Rights Lawyer
42. Chris Morssink, United Nations Association of Greater Philadelphia
43. Priyanka Motaparthy, Clinical Professor of Law
44. Gissou Nia, Human Rights Lawyer
45. William Pace, Executive Director, Center for Development of International Law, Founding Convener, Coalition for the ICC
46. Jessica Peake, Director, International & Comparative Law Program at UCLA School of Law
47. Jessica Pierson
48. Alka Pradhan, Professor
49. Emily Prey, New Lines Institute
50. Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice
51. Jana Ramsey, Former Senior Policy Advisor, State Department
52. Nicole Rangel, Human Rights and International Justice Expert
53. D. Wes Rist, former Atrocity Prevention Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of State
54. Susanne Riveles
55. Gabor Rona, Professor, Cardozo Law School
56. Alberto Saldamando, Indigenous Environmental Network
57. Michael Scharf, President of the American Branch of the International Law Association
58. Elizabeth Shafer, The Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy
59. Rajika Shah, Director, Justice for Atrocities Clinic, LMU Loyola Law School
60. Rebecca A. Shoot, Co-Convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
61. Timothy Slade, Filmmaker
62. Sung Sohn
63. Jane Stromseth, Francis Cabell Brown Professor of International Law Emerita, Georgetown University Law Center
64. Jennifer Trahan, Professor, NYU Center for Global Affairs