On 14 April 2026, Eumans and No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) will launch a European-wide Satyagraha—a disciplined, 63-day relay hunger strike—to hold European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accountable to her legal and institutional duties. The mobilization demands that the EU finally defend the International Criminal Court (ICC) from a dual-assault of sanctions and criminal reprisals orchestrated by the United States and Russia.
As foreign powers move to block the work of international justice, a human chain of 112 participants has begun an unbroken relay fast. This mobilization is supported by over 3,400 citizens and endorsed by five Nobel Laureates: Geoffrey Hinton, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Giorgio Parisi, the Tunisian League for Human Rights (LTDH), and Richard J. Roberts.
The Demands: Concrete EU Action Now
The campaign issues a blunt demand to President von der Leyen to end the Commission’s inaction. No more generic statements; we demand action:
- THE EU MUST FINALLY DEFEND THE COURT: Activate the EU Blocking Statute (Reg 2271/96) to neutralize S. Executive Order 14203 and the in absentia convictions by the Moscow City Court, which in December 2025 sentenced the ICC Prosecutor and eight judges to up to 15 years in prison.
- STOP THE ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN SANCTIONS ON EU SOIL: The Commission must immediately prohibit European banks and service providers from complying with these illegal measures. Activation of the Statute must serve as a tangible legal shield for the Court and civil society.
- THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR THE ICC: We call for the formal nomination of the International Criminal Court for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize as a definitive shield for its independence.
European Union Complicity: #JusticeUndeterred
By weaponizing global finance and retaliatory criminal law, the U.S. and Russia have attempted to “de-bank” and criminalize the ICC Prosecutors, judges, and leading Palestinian NGOs (Al-Haq, Al Mezan, and PCHR). Yet they remain undeterred. Despite these attacks, they continue their work, refusing to let foreign coercion dictate the course of justice.
The organizers charge that by ignoring the repeated calls of the European Parliament—including resolutions in July and September 2025—the Commission is choosing to serve as a silent accomplice to this attempt to destroy the Court. “The EU cannot claim to be a champion of the Rome Statute while its own financial infrastructure acts as an enforcement arm for foreign sanctions” the organizers stated. “President von der Leyen: will you stand with those who remain undeterred in the pursuit of international justice, or with those who seek to dismantle it?”
Schedule of Events – 14 April 2026
- 13:00 | Demonstration: Rond-Point Schuman @Rue Archimede. Citizens gather in front of the Commission headquarters to call for the activation of the Blocking Statute.
- 16:30 | Press Conference: Press Club Brussels Europe (Rue Froissart 95). Featuring direct testimony from the directors of the sanctioned NGOs, and the groundbreaking Report on the Impact of Sanctions by the Coalition for the International Criminal Court. The proceedings will be recorded to ensure these voices are never silenced. Media registration https://JusticeUndeterred.eventbrite.com/
The Power of Satyagraha: An Unbroken Presence
The Satyagraha is a relay of commitment. As one participant ends their fast, another begins. This unbroken chain of engagement will serve as a persistent witness across the Union until the EU honors its legal obligations. Citizens are invited to join the relay-fast: https://mobilisation.eumans.eu/en/icc/fasting/
Stop the sanctions. Defend the Court. Put your bodies behind your principles.
Additional details on the EU Blocking Statute Campaign: https://www.eumans.eu/join-the-mobilisation-and-the-satyagraha-to-defend-the-international-criminal-court/
Press Conference Media Registration https://JusticeUndeterred.eventbrite.com
About the Organizers:
Eumans is a pan-European grassroots movement promoting democracy through citizen action. www.eumans.eu
No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) is an international non-profit dedicated to the protection of human rights and the promotion of international justice. www.npwj.org
