Dakar on Thursday denounced the United States' sanctioning of a Senegalese ICC prosecutor and three others at the court, calling on American authorities to reverse their decision.
The United States imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court judges and prosecutors on Wednesday in a new effort to hobble the tribunal, particularly for actions against Israel over the war in Gaza.
"Senegal calls on the American authorities to lift these sanctions, which constitute a serious violation of the principle of judicial independence," the foreign ministry posted on X.
Senegalese deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang was among the four sanctioned.
The others include Judge Nicolas Guillou of France, who is presiding over a case in which an arrest warrant was issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Canadian judge Kimberly Prost and deputy prosecutors Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji were also sanctioned.
The US State Department said the two deputy prosecutors were being punished for supporting "illegitimate ICC actions against Israel", including by supporting arrest warrants against Netanyahu and former Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant.
Senegal's foreign ministry expressed its "full solidarity" with Niang, condemning the sanctions as violating the ICC members' rights to "freely and peacefully exercise the mandate entrusted to them".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposed sanctions on four other ICC judges in June.
In February, the United States sanctioned chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who was responsible for the request that led the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
The United States and Israel have not joined the Hague-backed ICC, which is backed by nearly all other Western democracies.
The administration of US President Donald Trump in particular has roundly rejected the authority of the ICC, which was set up as a court of last resort when national systems lack the means to pursue justice.
Concerning Niang, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko posted Thursday on Facebook that the "government of Senegal, his country, will stand resolutely by his side to confront these unjust and unfounded measures by the United States of America".
