UN chief condemns U.S. sanctions on ICC as a whole

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the U.S. imposition of sanctions against the International Criminal Court (ICC) as an institution, noting that the move could seriously undermine international criminal justice, his spokesman said Friday.

The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday added the ICC to its sanctions list, extending U.S. sanctions against the Hague-based court from individual officials to the institution itself.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the move, saying the measures would ban transactions with the court, cut off its resources and cripple its ability to operate.

"I can tell you that the secretary-general condemns the announcement of the imposition by the United States of sanctions against the International Criminal Court as an institution. The secretary-general is deeply alarmed by the expected impact of today's sanctions on the International Criminal Court as a whole, and in particular, on its continued ability to perform its important mandates, including in relation to situations referred to it by the Security Council and by States Parties to the Rome Statute," said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman.

"Today's decision marks a serious blow to our collective pursuit of international criminal justice, of which the ICC is a key pillar. Accountability for international crimes and delivery of justice to victims are central to our global commitment to peace, to security, human rights and fundamental freedoms," said the spokesman.

He said the secretary-general reiterated his unwavering support for the independence of the ICC and its officials, adding that Guterres called on all states to uphold their commitments under international law and to support efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.

Also on Friday, the foreign ministers of eight countries -- Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom -- issued a joint statement, expressing regret over and strong opposition to the U.S. announcement of sanctions against the ICC.

"We, the undersigned States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC, reaffirm our continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality and integrity of the ICC," said the statement.

The eight countries said they would continue to work together to support the ICC’s work, uphold the rules-based international system and engage in constructive and inclusive dialogue with non-States Parties as they prepare for the Assembly of States Parties in December 2026.

UN chief condemns U.S. sanctions on ICC as a whole

A joint counter-terrorism exercise involving competent authorities from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was held in Minsk, Belarus, from Oct 4 to 8, with counter-terrorism and law enforcement personnel from China's Ministry of Public Security and other SCO member states participating.

Named "Eurasia-Anti-terror 2026," the exercise marked the first time Belarus has hosted such an event since joining the SCO.

The exercise was organized by SCO competent authorities and the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), with participating personnel forming a joint command to oversee its planning and implementation.

It was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, coordinated by the RATS, competent authorities from SCO member states exchanged counter-terrorism intelligence and carried out operational responses based on the exercise scenarios.

In the second phase, held in line with agreements on organizing joint counter-terrorism operations and exercises within member states, Belarus invited participating forces from other member states to conduct drills with actual personnel and equipment.

The drills focused on operations against terrorists in crowded public places, hostage rescue, drone-based terrorist attack prevention, explosive ordnance search and disposal, and combat against illegal armed groups in rural and residential areas.

During the exercise, the Chinese forces took part in an explosive ordnance search and disposal drill, carrying out operations including security perimeter establishment, reconnaissance and verification, on-site response, and post-operation inspection and recovery to neutralize explosive threats and complete their assigned missions. The drills demonstrated their high-level technical and tactical skills and comprehensive response capabilities.

Personnel from SCO competent authorities, the RATS and relevant international organizations observed the exercise.

The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and international security organization comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and Belarus.

SCO holds first joint counter-terrorism drill in Belarus