Hitting Back: US Imposes Sanctions on ICC Judges
U.S. imposes restrictive measures on female judges presiding over criminal courts
Talk about a game changer! The US has gone ahead and hit four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions. The reason? they're accused of meddling with America or its ally Israel, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. America's defending its own sovereignty, along with Israel's and other allies, from "unlawful actions by the ICC."
The stage was set for this action back in February, with President Donald Trump's executive order, laying the groundwork for such sanctions. The ICC, based in The Hague, is being accused of abusing its power. Two of the sanctioned judges are now in the US's crosshairs for having approved an investigation into US soldiers in Afghanistan, as stated by the State Department. The other two judges have enabled the issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Joav Galant in connection with the Gaza war.
So, what are the repercussions of these sanctions? Well, if these judges have any assets in the US, they're frozen. Americans and US companies are also cut off from doing business with them. However, no travel ban has been imposed. The judges under fire are Ugandan judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, Peruvian Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Beninese Reine Alapini-Gansou, and Slovenian judge Beti Hohler.
The ICC Fires Back
The ICC has slammed the sanctions as a "blatant attempt" to undermine the court's independence. Neither the US nor Israel are members of the ICC. The court promised its support to the affected judges, stating its determination to carry on with its operations unfazed.
EU Council President Antonio Costa pledged the European Union's support for the ICC. Costa affirmed the EU's staunch support for the ICC as a cornerstone of international justice and insisted on preserving its independence and integrity.
The Long Game: ICC's Work Continues
The ICC has been investigating serious crimes such as war crimes since 2002. It can issue arrest warrants that are valid in all of the more than 120 signatory states of the Rome Statute. This means that if Netanyahu were to enter a member state, they would be obliged to arrest him.
Trump had already ordered sanctions when the court was investigating alleged war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan during his first term. His successor, Biden, later reversed these sanctions.
The US's move to impose sanctions on ICC judges is a clear indication of the ongoing tensions between the US and the ICC. The international community is watching closely to see what the long-term implications of these sanctions will be for global governance and the rule of law.
The US's imposition of sanctions on ICC judges, accused of meddling with America or its allies, raises questions about the future of the ICC's independence and its role in global governance, given the ongoing tensions between the US and the court. Meanwhile, the ICC continues its work, investigating serious crimes such as war crimes, proving its resilience in despite such political obstacles.
