rki.news | Sources: Xinhua
Spain has urged the European Commission to take urgent measures to protect officials of the International Criminal Court and a UN rapporteur from U.S. sanctions, according to correspondence cited by Xinhua.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to activate the EU’s Blocking Statute, a legal mechanism designed to counter extraterritorial sanctions within the European Union.
The request seeks to ensure ICC judges, prosecutors, and UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese are protected from restrictions imposed by Washington.
The sanctions were introduced in connection with ICC investigations and arrest warrants involving senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, with measures including banking limits, travel bans, and financial restrictions.
Madrid warned that such sanctions could undermine the independence of international judicial institutions and weaken the global human rights framework.
Sanchez said the Blocking Statute, traditionally used in trade disputes, should now be extended to protect multilateralism and international justice mechanisms from external pressure.
Spain said safeguarding the autonomy of global legal bodies is essential for maintaining credibility and fairness in international law and the rules-based order global system.