- The 24th Assembly of States Parties (ASP24) to the International Criminal Court (ICC) occurred this week amid unprecedented attacks and threats against the Court and civil society organisations (CSOs) supporting its work.
- Three FIDH members in Palestine currently face US sanctions aimed at shutting down their documentation of atrocities and support for victims because of their work with the ICC.
- The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) participated in ASP24, urging states to actively oppose sanctions targeting the ICC and CSOs, uphold victims’ rights and ensure they are meaningfully included in processes that affect them, enforce cooperation obligations and execute all arrest warrants regardless of the suspect’s nationality, and prioritise creating a healthy and respectful workplace culture at the Court.
The Hague, 9 December 2025. FIDH and its member organisations played an active role at ASP24 held in The Hague on 1-6 December 2025. At a time when the ICC and human rights defenders continue to face political pressure, sanctions, and intimidation, FIDH focused its engagement on protecting the Court’s independence, strengthening victim-centred justice, advancing meaningful cooperation, and supporting efforts to strengthen a workplace culture able to withstand external threats.
Sustained civil society advocacy contributed to a significant development at this year’s Assembly. States Parties issued an unprecedented joint declaration expressing “solidarity” with the Court and its officials, and recognising that coercive measures, including sanctions against elected officials and civil society, hinder the Court’s mandate, deter cooperation, and undermine victims’ access to justice. And in the so-called ‘omnibus’ resolution, for the first time the Assembly collectively “condemns” sanctions against civil society and United Nations independent experts, measures that have targeted for example Al-Haq, Al-Mezan, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) and Francesca Albanese. These statements are a welcome step amid the growing pressures faced by the Court and civil society.
“Impunity fuels further atrocities. Threats and attempts to weaken the ICC plant the seed for future war crimes and crimes against humanity, and even genocides. World leaders cannot allow this.” stated FIDH President, Alexis Deswaef. “At a time when wars and human rights violations are intensifying across the globe, the international community must stand firmly with the world’s first and only permanent international criminal court so it can carry out its mandate independently and without political interference.”
“For the ICC to function, states must collectively ensure that both the Court and the civil society partners it depends on can operate without financial or political obstruction, including resisting pressure to weaken the Rome Statute. CSOs carry out essential human rights and accountability work that is currently at risk of being shut down through sanctions and over-compliance. Without them, this work simply would not happen. States now need to secure stable financial channels so the Court and CSOs can continue their lawful work to advance accountability without interruption.” said Danya Chaikel, FIDH Representative to the ICC.
Throughout the week, FIDH co-sponsored several side events in the margins of the ASP, including a dialogue led by survivors, and events focusing on speech crimes of the Russian Federation in the context of Ukraine, workplace culture at the ICC (full recording), cooperation and arrests, and the protection of human rights defenders. Key messages came out of these discussions:
– Survivors stressed that the ICC remains, for many, the only credible path to accountability when national systems fail. They urged states to protect the ICC, and strengthen outreach so people understand how the Court works and how to reach it. They also called on states and the Court to build survivor dialogue into the system so their experiences and views consistently guide decisions;
– Protecting the ICC is inseparable from protecting the rights of those who rely on it for truth, accountability, and reparation, and states must resist all pressure and coercive measures that undermine the Court;
– Attempts to silence civil society will not succeed, and states must intensify efforts to protect those documenting crimes and supporting victims under the most difficult conditions; and
– Transparent leadership, stronger staff well being measures, and clear lines of accountability are essential to foster confidence within the institution and to strengthen the Court’s resilience against external pressure, including sanctions aimed at weakening its work.
At the cooperation plenary, Alexis Deswaef addressed States Parties on behalf of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), stressing that cooperation is the foundation of the Rome Statute system and that each failed arrest directly harms victims’ rights to truth, accountability, and reparation. He cautioned that inconsistent or selective positions from states create damaging double standards that weaken confidence in the system. He urged states to take concrete steps to strengthen cooperation, from executing arrests and improving operational support to ensuring national preparedness and publicly affirming that no one is above the law.
FIDH and REDRESS also launched a joint briefing paper, titled Ending Immunity, Ending Impunity - Advancing Accountability for Heads of State at the International Criminal Court at the side event on: “Arresting suspects of international crimes: Duties to cooperate and civil society roles”. The discussion underscored that personal immunity must never obstruct accountability before the ICC, and that States Parties must meet their arrest and surrender obligations to uphold equality before the law and act in the interests of victims.
This year’s ASP demonstrated both the scale of the pressures facing the Rome Statute system and the determination of victims, civil society, and committed states to defend it. FIDH will continue working with its members and partners to promote effective cooperation, protect human rights defenders, and ensure that victims’ rights remain at the centre of the Court’s work.
