Dr Benjamin Thorne

I have a new short piece out with Opinio Juris on US sanctions and the ICC which explores possible implications for the court's use of AI, digital evidence and wider investigation processes - tinyurl.com/mryjbdbe

I wonder if during states & EU 'dialogue' with the US administration about sanctions against the #ICC if the election of the next ICC prosecutor might possibly be something US officials 'drop' into the conversation. Obviously if mentioned it should be a immediate off limits response by all states.

Really informative thread on the announced election procedures for the 4th prosecutor of the ICC 👇

The 4th Prosecutor will make or break the ICC as the institution it calls itself to be in the Preamble. The bar is high. States Parties must take their governance responsibility to elect the best to reassure victims their hope is worthwhile. Any hint of US appeasing will end it.

The next prosecutor of the International Criminal Court will be elected in December 2027. The ICC will be without a permanent prosecutor for two & a half years (May 2025-Dec 2027). (This is not a criticism of the current acting & deputy prosecutors). #ICC #OTP www.icc-cpi.int/news/bureau-...

Put a face to the voices of Asymmetrical Haircuts!🎙️ Join Janet and Steph for a live podcast recording in collaboration with the Leiden Centre for Peace and Justice as part of The Hague Justice Week. More on the theme and guests later this week. 🎟️ Register via www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/who-owns-t...

This is a good summary of current domestic efforts in the US challenging sanctions against the International Criminal Court #USsanctions #ICC ICC Sanctions Lawsuit Tests Trump’s Power Over Americans’ Speech - www.military.com/icc-sanction...

The problematic metaphor of 'harnessing technology' to advance international justice - lnkd.in/p/e9q_xiQA #tech #ICC #USsanctions

Registration is still open for the African Society of International Law 15th Annual Conference in Kigali from 6 -7 November. Come & join us to discuss reparations and international legal obligations. @vidyakumar.bsky.social @folukeifejola.bsky.social @ntinatzouvala.bsky.social

I am quoted in this piece discussing the awarding of the Sakharov Prize to the ICC and responses to US sanctions. #ICC #USsanctions #EU #International Justice I See You, ICC - europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/i-see-y...

Looking for a brief overview of US hostility towards the International Criminal Court? Well, I have just the thing. www.fikerinstitute.org/publications... #IntLaw

'Words like “freedom,” “justice,” “democracy” are not common concepts; on the contrary, they are rare. People are not born knowing what these are. It takes enormous and, above all, individual effort to arrive at the respect for other people that these words imply' James Baldwin #Serbia #Brazil

If the EU & (many) states continue to ignore the growing chorus for concrete action the immediate horizon is going to be dominated by sanction overcompliance, and it is overcompliance which could potential prove to be a drill going deep into the centre of ICC operations. #USsanctions #ICC

Live footage of companies and organisations trying to figure out how to try and navigate the US sanctions against the International Criminal Court. #USsanctions #ICC

Whilst the rhetoric of 'saving international justice' sounds like an appealing destination which is collectively being moved towards, however different members on this journey are reading different maps to each other & have varying notions of what the destination actually is. #USsanctions #ICC #EU

One thing companies are known for loving is uncertainty and risk..... #USsanctions #EU #internationalcriminalcourt #ICC - www.politico.eu/article/icc-...

This is an important recognition for the court, however it is somewhat problematic for the EU on the one hand to recognize the court's, and its officials, work upholding international justice, whilst simultaneously being indecisive & arguably weak regarding its responses to the US sanctions. #ICC

The 2026 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is collectively awarded to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials. #ICC #internationaljustice - www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/pres...

So... Joseph Kabila has joined the FRN rebellion against the #DRC govt & even called for use of force. This is not good news; this will likely derail the current peace process. www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/202...

Whilst this is an example of some of the different and competing priorities at play in the context of possible responses to US sanctions against the ICC, #Ussanctions #internationalcriminalcourt #ICC

Implementing responses & building resistance to US aggression against the ICC is going to require a massive amount of substantial collaboration across a diverse range of actors and networks. Whether this type of collaboration can be implemented to the extent required is an ongoing question. #ICC

Implementing responses & building resistance to US aggression against the ICC is going to require a massive amount of substantial collaboration across a diverse range of actors and networks. Whether this type of collaboration can be implemented to the extent required is an ongoing question. #ICC

#Syria - Trials on violence committed against the Alawite population in March 2025 have concluded in Aleppo, ten months after the first hearing. 13 verdicts were pronounced in two separate sessions between 17 September and 15 October. www.justiceinfo.net/en/167585-al... #JusticeInSyria

Interesting take on perhaps one of the less predicted implications of US sanctions against the ICC #ICC #solidarity #USsanctions #TomokoAkane ICC chief Akane's book gets boost after U.S. slaps sanctions - japantoday.com/category/pol...