The United States has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court judges, signaling its discontent with ongoing war crimes investigations involving U.S. and Israeli officials. This decision aligns with a broader strategy to challenge the court's authority among non-member states.
U.S. Government Sanctions ICC Judges Over War Crimes Investigations
U.S. Government Sanctions ICC Judges Over War Crimes Investigations
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announces sanctions against four ICC judges amid concerns over investigations into U.S. military and Israeli officials' actions.
The article text:
In a decisive move on June 5, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared the imposition of sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to their investigations of U.S. military personnel and arrest warrants targeting prominent Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Mr. Rubio's statement, the judges affected include Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza from Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, and Beti Hohler from Slovenia. He asserted that these sanctions would be directed at those who authorized actions against the U.S. and its ally, Israel.
This recent action mirrors sanctions that the U.S. previously imposed in February on ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who had initiated a case against Israel concerning its military operations in Gaza. The sanctions have hindered Mr. Khan's team's ability to carry out their investigations.
Both the United States and Israel are not parties to the ICC and have consistently resisted the court's attempts to prosecute personnel from their governments or militaries. This trend can be traced back to the Trump administration when then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed sanctions on ICC officials for pursuing war crime charges against U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
In his statement, the Secretary of State emphasized: "The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC." Consequently, any U.S.-based assets belonging to the sanctioned judges will be frozen, and Americans are prohibited from engaging in business with them.
The ICC is regarded as the preeminent global court for addressing war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. However, it lacks the means to enforce its rulings, relying on member states for compliance with its arrest warrants.
The court's jurisdiction stems from the Rome Statute, ratified by 125 countries, obligating them to apprehend accused individuals when they set foot on their territory, though compliance is not universally enforced. Notably, influential countries like the United States, China, Russia, India, and Israel have abstained from membership, thereby sidestepping the court's jurisdiction.
As part of his remarks, Mr. Rubio called for supportive nations to rally against what he termed a "disgraceful attack" on both the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing their historical sacrifices for the freedoms enjoyed by ICC supporters.
Journalists Jonathan Swan, Amelia Nierenberg, and Edward Wong contributed to this report, with Swan focusing on President Trump's administration, Nierenberg covering international news developments, and Wong specializing in global affairs and U.S. foreign policy.
In a decisive move on June 5, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared the imposition of sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to their investigations of U.S. military personnel and arrest warrants targeting prominent Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Mr. Rubio's statement, the judges affected include Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza from Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, and Beti Hohler from Slovenia. He asserted that these sanctions would be directed at those who authorized actions against the U.S. and its ally, Israel.
This recent action mirrors sanctions that the U.S. previously imposed in February on ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who had initiated a case against Israel concerning its military operations in Gaza. The sanctions have hindered Mr. Khan's team's ability to carry out their investigations.
Both the United States and Israel are not parties to the ICC and have consistently resisted the court's attempts to prosecute personnel from their governments or militaries. This trend can be traced back to the Trump administration when then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed sanctions on ICC officials for pursuing war crime charges against U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
In his statement, the Secretary of State emphasized: "The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC." Consequently, any U.S.-based assets belonging to the sanctioned judges will be frozen, and Americans are prohibited from engaging in business with them.
The ICC is regarded as the preeminent global court for addressing war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity. However, it lacks the means to enforce its rulings, relying on member states for compliance with its arrest warrants.
The court's jurisdiction stems from the Rome Statute, ratified by 125 countries, obligating them to apprehend accused individuals when they set foot on their territory, though compliance is not universally enforced. Notably, influential countries like the United States, China, Russia, India, and Israel have abstained from membership, thereby sidestepping the court's jurisdiction.
As part of his remarks, Mr. Rubio called for supportive nations to rally against what he termed a "disgraceful attack" on both the U.S. and Israel, emphasizing their historical sacrifices for the freedoms enjoyed by ICC supporters.
Journalists Jonathan Swan, Amelia Nierenberg, and Edward Wong contributed to this report, with Swan focusing on President Trump's administration, Nierenberg covering international news developments, and Wong specializing in global affairs and U.S. foreign policy.
