LRWC activities at the Assembly of States Parties to the
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
The Hague, Netherlands
1 to 6 December 2025
Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada (LRWC) sent two delegates to the 24th session of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), 1 to 6 December 2025. LRWC participated in its capacity as an NGO with UN ECOSOC consultative status and as a member of the Coalition for the ICC (CICC). LRWC delivered oral and written statements to the ASP. LRWC delegates also participated actively in strategy meetings of CICC and in a number of events and side events regarding ICC issues or activities. LRWC’ delegates self-funded their travel expenses.
Major theme: Threats attacks against the ICC
Unlawful threats and attacks against the ICC were overriding themes of the ASP, including:
- Cyberattacks,[1]
- Arrest warrants by Russia against seven ICC judges, a former ICC judge, and the ICC Prosecutor;[2]
- Sanctions[3] by the United States (US) against six ICC judges, the ICC prosecutor, two ICC deputy prosecutors, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,[4] and three Palestinian NGOs that hold consultative status with UN ECOSOC.[5]
The sanctions and other coercive measures against the Court have had severe personal impacts on Court officials and staff, particularly the sanctioned ICC judges and prosecutors, and those cooperating with the Court, including the UN Special Rapporteur and the three Palestinian NGOs. The sanctions and threats of further sanctions have created significant challenges to the ICC itself, which has been required to take measures to protect the Court’s independence, operations, officials, and staff.
The sanctions also have a chilling effect on civil society and human rights defenders in a number of countries who cooperate or plan to cooperate with the ICC. A number of non-US-based human rights defenders have been denied visas to the US or had their visas revoked. It was reported that a number of US-based NGOs and defenders have been constraining their activities related to the ICC and found it unsafe to attend the ASP or to participate in certain ASP events due to the risk of prosecution for being found in violation of the sanctions with potential fines of up to US$1million or 20 years imprisonment.
LRWC statements to the States Parties of the Rome Statute
LRWC delivered an oral statement[6] at an ASP plenary panel. LRWC’s oral statement was based on a fully-referenced written statement[7] which is available on the LRWC website. The CICC also plans to send LRWC’s statement with other written statements to the States Parties of Rome Statute and publish is on the CICC website.[8]
Co-sponsorship of side event
LRWC was invited to co-sponsor a side event at the ASP, entitled “When accountability becomes a crime: protecting human rights defenders in the Age of Lawfare.” The side-event was sponsored by 23 NGOs, including the CICC, Amnesty International, FIDH, and the three Palestinian NGOs subjected to US sanctions.
References
[1] ICC detects and contains new sophisticated cyber security incident, 30 June 2025, https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-detects-and-contains-new-sophisticated-cyber-security-incident
[2] Judge Tomoko Akane, President of the ICC, Opening remarks at the 24th session of the Assembly of States Parties, 1 December 2025, https://asp.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/asp_docs/ASP24-STMT-PICC-ENG.pdf.
[3] President of the United States, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court,” US Executive Order 14203, 7 February 2025, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/12/2025-02612/imposing-sanctions-on-the-international-criminal-court; US Secretary of State, “Imposing Sanctions in Response to the ICC’s Illegitimate Actions Targeting the United States and Israel,” 5 June 2025, https://www.state.gov/releases/2025/06/imposing-sanctions-in-response-to-the-iccs-illegitimate-actions-targeting-the-united-states-and-israel/; US Secretary of State, “Imposing Further Sanctions in Response to the ICC’s Ongoing Threat to Americans and Israelis,” 20 August 2025, https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/08/imposing-further-sanctions-in-response-to-the-iccs-ongoing-threat-to-americans-and-israelis-2.
[4] US Secretary of State, “Sanctioning Lawfare that Targets U.S. and Israeli Persons,” 9 July 2025, https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/07/sanctioning-lawfare-that-targets-u-s-and-israeli-persons.
[5] US Secretary of State, “Sanctioning Foreign NGOs Directly Engaged in ICC’s Illegitimate Targeting of Israel,” 4 September 2025, https://www.state.gov/releases/2025/09/sanctioning-foreign-ngos-directly-engaged-in-iccs-illegitimate-targeting-of-israel. The three sanctioned NGOs all hold consultative status with UN ECOSOC.
[6] LRWC, Oral statement to the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, 4 December 2025, https://www.lrwc.org/all-states-parties-to-the-rome-statute-must-cooperate-fully-with-the-international-criminal-court-oral-statement-to-the-assembly-of-states-parties-to-the-rome-statute-of-the-international-criminal-c/.
[7] LRWC, “Ending Impunity for Atrocity Crimes Requires Action: Words are not enough,” Written Statement to the 24th Assembly of States Parties of the Rome Statute of the ICC, 4 December 2025, https://www.lrwc.org/ending-impunity-for-atrocity-crimes-requires-action-words-are-not-enough-written-statement-by-lrwc-to-the-24th-assembly-of-states-parties-of-the-rome-statute-of-the-icc/#_edn6.
[8] Coalition for the ICC, https://www.coalitionfortheicc.org/.
