The United States has announced sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to their investigations involving U.S. military personnel and the issuance of arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Thursday that the sanctions target judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.
This action follows previous sanctions introduced earlier in the year against Karim Khan, the ICC's chief prosecutor, for his involvement in cases concerning Israel's military actions in Gaza. These moves reflect the longstanding tension between the United States, Israel, and the ICC, which the two nations have never recognized as legitimate, particularly when it comes to prosecutions of their officials.
In his statement, Rubio articulated that the ICC's efforts threaten U.S. sovereignty and that of its allies. The judges' actions have been interpreted as an affront to governmental authority by U.S. officials, who have historically resisted ICC jurisdiction, particularly regarding allegations of war crimes and military operations.
As a consequence of the sanctions, the U.S. has mandated the freezing of the judges’ assets located within its borders, prohibiting Americans from engaging in any business transactions with them. The ICC itself, established by a treaty in 1998, holds the authority to address war crimes and crimes against humanity, although it relies on member states to carry out its mandates – a system that often falls short in enforcement, particularly with absences of major powers like the U.S., China, and Russia.
Rubio's comments urged nations that still support the ICC to counteract what he termed a "disgraceful attack" on the U.S. and Israel, aligning with a broader sentiment among critics of the ICC's reach into domestic actions of non-member states.
This action follows previous sanctions introduced earlier in the year against Karim Khan, the ICC's chief prosecutor, for his involvement in cases concerning Israel's military actions in Gaza. These moves reflect the longstanding tension between the United States, Israel, and the ICC, which the two nations have never recognized as legitimate, particularly when it comes to prosecutions of their officials.
In his statement, Rubio articulated that the ICC's efforts threaten U.S. sovereignty and that of its allies. The judges' actions have been interpreted as an affront to governmental authority by U.S. officials, who have historically resisted ICC jurisdiction, particularly regarding allegations of war crimes and military operations.
As a consequence of the sanctions, the U.S. has mandated the freezing of the judges’ assets located within its borders, prohibiting Americans from engaging in any business transactions with them. The ICC itself, established by a treaty in 1998, holds the authority to address war crimes and crimes against humanity, although it relies on member states to carry out its mandates – a system that often falls short in enforcement, particularly with absences of major powers like the U.S., China, and Russia.
Rubio's comments urged nations that still support the ICC to counteract what he termed a "disgraceful attack" on the U.S. and Israel, aligning with a broader sentiment among critics of the ICC's reach into domestic actions of non-member states.
