The American NGO Coalition for the International Criminal Court (AMICC) convener John Washburn spoke as a panelist in three events and conducted two student briefings in 2017 so far. Washburn discussed the outlook for Trump administration attitudes toward the International Criminal Court, the current status of the ICC, the progress of ICC cases, and the possibility of more member withdrawals from the ICC. The Washington Working Group on the ICC (WICC), which Washburn co-chairs, met twice to discuss and plan strategy for advocating for the Court in Washington and nationwide.
The country is as divided on the ICC as it is on many major subjects. Polls show strong public support for the ICC among many Americans. However there is a substantial minority of Americans who opposed US involvement in international organizations as a matter of principle, or who fear ICC trials of Americans, particularly military persons.
Moreover, the public support is emotional, and so far is not the aroused public opinion that can drive political action. Creating and fostering a change in public opinion towards continue support is a major task for AMICC and all ICC advocates in the United States. This will have to happen in localities across the country.
AMICC has begun to act on this approach by co-sponsoring with the Washington School of Law in St. Louis, a June meeting of college and university professors specializing in the ICC who are from institutions with opportunities for advocacy in their locations. The Convener has also begun to make wider appearances. The first of these will be a presentation to the state bar of Arizona in June.
Washburn attended the following three events:
The student briefings were for groups from the Mitchell Hamline College of Law in Minneapolis and Seton Hall University in New Jersey.
