Rubio imposes sanctions on 4 ICC judges for ‘targeting’ US and Israel

The United States is striking sanctions on 4 judges from the global felony court docket (ICC) for what it has known as its “illegitimate actions” focused on the United States and Israel.

The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, introduced the sanctions in a remark on Thursday. They goal Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

Donald Trump ordered cupboard officers to draw up sanctions towards the ICC after the court docket issued arrest warrants for the Israeli top minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and previous protection minister Yoav Gallant. They have been accused of overseeing an Israeli offensive right through the Gaza battle that brought about famine and incorporated the fee of battle crimes.

Two of the sanctioned judges accredited the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, and two accredited an ICC investigation into abuses through US group of workers in Afghanistan.

“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Rubio stated. “The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies. This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.”

The resolution to transport ahead with the sanctions will escalate Trump’s feud with the court docket and different global organisations, which he has widely disregarded as politicised.

The US has already sanctioned the ICC’s leader prosecutor, Karim Khan, on account of his position in pursuing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. Those sanctions have led Khan to lose get right of entry to to his e-mail and his financial institution accounts had been frozen, the Associated Press reported previous this month. Americans who paintings for the Hague-based court docket had been warned that they may well be arrested in the event that they set foot on American soil.

In a remark, the ICC stated it “deplores” the brand new designations for sanctions.

“These measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 states parties from all corners of the globe,” the ICC stated.

“Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict,” the remark persevered. “It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity. These sanctions are not only directed at designated individuals, they also target all those who support the court, including nationals and corporate entities of states parties. They are aimed against innocent victims in all situations before the court, as well as the rule of law, peace, security and the prevention of the gravest crimes that shock the conscience of humanity.”

James Goldston, govt director of the Open Society’s justice initiative and a former ICC prosecutor, stated: “As a court of last resort, the ICC is the one place victims of the most serious crimes can turn to when other avenues have failed them in their search for truth and justice. These new designations of ICC judges threaten their hopes and embolden the perpetrators. Sanctions against ICC officials are a betrayal of America’s proud commitment to the rule of law and international justice.”