**The ICC has labeled recent US sanctions on its officials a direct attack on judicial independence and emphasizes global implications for justice.**
**ICC Condemns US Sanctions Targeting Judges and Prosecutors Amid Legal Tensions**
**ICC Condemns US Sanctions Targeting Judges and Prosecutors Amid Legal Tensions**
**The International Criminal Court voices strong disapproval over new US sanctions as geopolitical tensions escalate.**
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has voiced its strong disapproval regarding newly imposed US sanctions on its judges and prosecutors, marking a significant escalation in tension between the tribunal and the United States. On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors associated with the ICC, stating they had engaged in prosecutorial efforts against US and Israeli individuals.
Rubio characterized the ICC as an "instrument of lawfare" and a "national security threat," specifically targeting its work in relation to the United States and Israel. This move has drawn significant attention, particularly given the ICC's recent issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, concerning alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
France has joined the ICC in denouncing these sanctions, expressing concern over the targeting of one of its judges, Nicolas Guillou. The other officials affected include Canada’s Kimberly Prost and two deputy prosecutors, Nazhat Shameem Khan from Fiji and Mame Mandiaye Niang from Senegal. Rubio’s statement condemned what he termed the ICC's "politicisation" and "illegitimate judicial overreach."
The ICC has branded the sanctions as a "flagrant attack" on its independence, asserting that such actions jeopardize the rules-based international order and disrespect millions of victims of war crimes worldwide. France’s foreign ministry echoed this sentiment, criticizing the sanctions as contrary to the principles of judicial independence.
In supporting the US sanctions, Netanyahu remarked that they represent a decisive measure against what he described as a misleading campaign against Israel. The US State Department indicated that Judge Guillou faced sanctions due to his role in authorizing warrants against Israeli officials, while Judge Prost was penalized for investigating US military actions in Afghanistan, with the other officials sanctioned for actions perceived to undermine Israel.
This latest round of sanctions follows similar actions taken earlier this year against the ICC's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, among others. The United Nations’ human rights chief has previously called for the withdrawal of sanctions on ICC judges, arguing they contradict the principle of respect for the rule of law.
Recently, the US has also sanctioned UN Human Rights Council rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her outspoken criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza, linking her participation in ICC-related judicial decisions as a basis for such measures. In her response, Albanese reaffirmed her commitment to the ICC's principles, emphasizing the legacy of defending justice inherited from her homeland of Italy.
