The ICC warns that these sanctions threaten its independence and the integrity of global justice.
**ICC Condemns New US Sanctions Against Judges and Prosecutors**
**ICC Condemns New US Sanctions Against Judges and Prosecutors**
The International Criminal Court responds with dismay to recent US actions aimed at its officials.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has expressed strong disapproval of the newly announced sanctions imposed by the United States on its judges and prosecutors. In a statement released on Wednesday, the US State Department designated sanctions against four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, in response to their actions regarding alleged war crimes involving US and Israeli citizens.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the ICC as a "national security threat" and labeled it an "instrument of lawfare" against the U.S. and Israel. These remarks come amid ongoing tensions due to the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, who are under investigation for purported war crimes related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Apart from the US, France has also condemned this move, expressing concerns that it undermines the principle of judicial independence, especially since one of its judges, Nicolas Guillou, is among those sanctioned. The ICC has condemned the sanctions as a "flagrant attack" on its independence, asserting that they undermine the rules-based international order and the rights of millions of victims globally.
Rubio criticized the ICC, asserting that the court has been politically manipulated, serving as a tool of power abuse and illegitimate judicial action. The court maintains jurisdiction over prosecutions for serious crimes such as genocide and war crimes, and it insists that these recent sanctions represent a significant threat to its impartiality.
The US sanctions include freezing any assets held by the four officials within the United States. This follows an earlier wave of restrictions aimed at ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and several other judges. The UN's human rights chief has previously called for the withdrawal of these sanctions, emphasizing that such actions contradict the principles of the rule of law.
Additionally, the US has sanctioned Francesca Albanese, a special rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Council, who has criticized Israel's military activities in Gaza. Albanese, who supports the ICC, has pledged to uphold the traditions of justice established by the court, asserting her commitment to defending human rights despite the sanctions imposed on her.
The current geopolitical landscape remains fraught, with growing implications for international relations as the US and ICC continue to clash over issues of judicial authority and human rights accountability.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterized the ICC as a "national security threat" and labeled it an "instrument of lawfare" against the U.S. and Israel. These remarks come amid ongoing tensions due to the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, who are under investigation for purported war crimes related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Apart from the US, France has also condemned this move, expressing concerns that it undermines the principle of judicial independence, especially since one of its judges, Nicolas Guillou, is among those sanctioned. The ICC has condemned the sanctions as a "flagrant attack" on its independence, asserting that they undermine the rules-based international order and the rights of millions of victims globally.
Rubio criticized the ICC, asserting that the court has been politically manipulated, serving as a tool of power abuse and illegitimate judicial action. The court maintains jurisdiction over prosecutions for serious crimes such as genocide and war crimes, and it insists that these recent sanctions represent a significant threat to its impartiality.
The US sanctions include freezing any assets held by the four officials within the United States. This follows an earlier wave of restrictions aimed at ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and several other judges. The UN's human rights chief has previously called for the withdrawal of these sanctions, emphasizing that such actions contradict the principles of the rule of law.
Additionally, the US has sanctioned Francesca Albanese, a special rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Council, who has criticized Israel's military activities in Gaza. Albanese, who supports the ICC, has pledged to uphold the traditions of justice established by the court, asserting her commitment to defending human rights despite the sanctions imposed on her.
The current geopolitical landscape remains fraught, with growing implications for international relations as the US and ICC continue to clash over issues of judicial authority and human rights accountability.
