Gambiaj.com – (Dakar, Senegal) – The Government of Senegal has strongly denounced U.S. sanctions targeting Judge Mame Mandiaye Niang, a Senegalese magistrate serving at the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the move as a “serious attack” on judicial independence.
In an official statement issued Thursday, Dakar expressed its “astonishment” at the sanctions and urged Washington to withdraw them without delay.
The government emphasized that such measures undermine the ability of ICC magistrates to carry out their duties “freely and without intimidation” as mandated by the Rome Statute, which 125 states have ratified.
“Senegal invites the American authorities to withdraw these sanctions which constitute a grave infringement of the principle of judicial independence and the right of ICC magistrates to exercise their mandate without pressure,” the communiqué read.
The statement placed Senegal at the forefront of international opposition to the U.S. decision, reaffirming its “unwavering support” for the ICC.
Dakar recalled that it was the first country to ratify the Rome Statute, which established the Court, and declared “full solidarity with Mr. Niang and the other magistrates targeted by these sanctions.”
The U.S. sanctions were announced Wednesday by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who accused four ICC judges of participating in investigations and proceedings against American and Israeli nationals without their countries’ consent.
Rubio argued that the Court represented “a threat to national security” and had been “weaponized as a tool of legal warfare” against the United States and its ally Israel.
The sanctions include travel bans, asset freezes, and restrictions on access to financial services, extending to international institutions linked to the U.S. banking system.
Judge Niang, who serves as ICC Deputy Prosecutor, reacted firmly in an interview with Senegalese media group Emedia, stating that he remained “calm and focused” on his mission.
“I stay serene with the feeling that I am only doing my work,” Niang said from The Hague, adding that he feels “the strong support of the entire country, its authorities, and its citizens.”
Acknowledging the risks of his profession, he stressed: “As a magistrate, I know it is inherent in my role to upset people, especially the powerful. I have learned to face that.”
Detailing the impact of the sanctions, Niang highlighted their sweeping nature: “Any institution in the world that makes transactions in dollars or with the U.S. is forced to stop offering you services under penalty of sanctions. This can be terrible,” he warned, also noting threats linked to intelligence services.
Despite the pressure, he vowed to stand firm: “We will remain standing and serve international criminal justice as we did for the justice of our country. If we don’t face up to this, it will be the absolute reign of tyranny. And that is not acceptable.”
Senegal’s stance mirrors reactions from Europe. France said it was “dismayed” by the U.S. decision and expressed solidarity with the sanctioned judges, calling the measures “contrary to the principle of judicial independence.” The ICC itself denounced the move as a “flagrant attack” on its impartiality.
The sanctions are the latest in a series of measures by the Trump administration against the Hague-based Court, largely in response to investigations into alleged war crimes by U.S. forces in Afghanistan and ICC arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over the war in Gaza. Netanyahu welcomed the U.S. decision, describing it as “a decisive action against the campaign of slander and lies targeting Israel.”
