UK and France among scores of countries to defend ICC against Trump sanctions

World governments have rushed to defend the international criminal court after Donald Trump launched sanctions against the global body, which is seen as a vital last resort in prosecuting powerful individuals accused of atrocities including war crimes and genocide.

- Harry Davies Marina Dunbar Oliver Holmes

Set up more than two decades ago to serve as an impartial and incorruptible body that had the heft to take on criminals - from militant warlords to heads of state - the ICC has found itself under attack from Washington at a time when it is investigating shocking violence in Gaza.

The US president signed an executive order on Thursday authorising aggressive economic sanctions against the ICC and travel bans on its staff, accusing the court of "illegitimate and baseless actions" targeting the US and its ally Israel. Trump's order cited an ICC-issued arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes relating to the Gaza war as a reason for the decision. Netanyahu visited Washington this week and praised Trump as Israel's "greatest friend".

Responding yesterday, the ICC called on its 125 state parties to stand up against sanctions, describing Washington's move as an attempt to "harm its independent and impartial judicial work".