The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL), together with 10 global human rights organisations from the International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO), has urged Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee, to use Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union to protect the International Criminal Court (ICC) from expanding U.S. sanctions.

In letters addressed to Minister McEntee, European Commission leadership, and the Hague Group, the civil society coalition warned that U.S. sanctions targeting ICC judges, prosecutors, and civil society partners pose a grave threat to international justice and the multilateral legal order. The signatories called for stronger legal and diplomatic measures across EU member states to safeguard individuals and organisations connected to the tribunal's work.

Among the measures recommended by ICCL and INCLO is the activation of the EU Blocking Statute—a legal framework designed to neutralize the extraterritorial impact of foreign sanctions within the bloc. Campaigners noted that previous foreign sanctions against ICC personnel generated broader financial disruption, leading banks and payment processors to cut off financial services to civil society groups, witnesses, and legal representatives working on international justice cases.

The appeal comes as Ireland exercises its rotating presidency of the EU Council, positioning the Irish government to shape foreign policy discussions among EU member states. Human rights advocates argued that leading protective efforts for the tribunal aligns with Ireland's international commitments and its campaign for membership on the United Nations Human Rights Council.