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Forbes
3 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
US State Department Sanctions International Criminal Court Judges
General view with a sign with the official logo and inscription of the International Criminal Court ... More ICC or ICCt, an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. The ICC is distinct from the International Court of Justice, an organ of the United Nations that hears disputes between states. September 2024 (Photo credit: Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images) On June 5, 2025, the United States Department of State sanctioned four individuals currently serving as judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the only permanent criminal tribunal in the world. The Department of State's designations are made pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14203, which authorizes sanctions on foreign persons engaged in certain efforts by the ICC and aims to impose significant consequences on those directly engaged in the ICC's actions against the United States and Israel. A statement issued by the Office of the Spokesperson to the State Department stated: 'We do not take this step lightly. It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC's politicization and abuse of power.' The four judges sanctioned by the State Department are Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Appeals Division of the ICC, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Appeals Division of the ICC, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, Pre-Trial and Trial Division of the ICC, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, Judge, Pre-Trial and Trial Division of the ICC. They were sanctioned for 'directly engaging in any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a protected person without consent of that person's country of nationality.' Judges Bossa and Ibanez Carranza ruled to authorize the ICC's investigation against U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. However, several years later, no arrest warrants have been pursued against U.S. personnel. Indeed, as is clear from recent ICC communications, their focus is on the Taliban since their takeover in August 2021, and in particular, the treatment of women and girls as crimes against humanity of gender persecution. Judges Alapini Gansou and Hohler ruled to authorize the ICC's issuance of arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. In a press statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that 'As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel. 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.' As emphasized by the State Department, as a result of the sanctions designations, all property and interests in property of the sanctioned person that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that are owned, either directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50% or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. However, these sanctions may have a much more wide-ranging impact. Indeed, after the ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan was sanctioned in February 2025, all his bank accounts were frozen, and he is said to have lost access to his emails. The new sanctions have been widely criticized. The ICC issued a statement indicating that '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. (…) Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. 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.' Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stressed that 'Attacks against judges for performance of their judicial functions, at national or international levels, run directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law - values for which the U.S. has long stood. Such attacks are deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice.' After Prosecutor Khan was sanctioned, multiple lawsuits have been brought before US courts to challenge the application of the E.O. 14203. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits are U.S. citizens who engage with the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) as law professors and human rights advocates who argued that the order exceeds the scope of President Trump's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and violates their constitutional rights. They seek preliminary injunctions. One of the cases, brought by a U.S. citizen working in the OTP on the situation in Darfur, trial attorney and U.S. Army veteran, Eric Iverson, was voluntarily dismissed after he received a license from the U.S. government authorizing him to continue his work. All other cases are still ongoing. The sanctions imposed by the State Department on ICC judges are highly concerning as they do attack judicial independence. The sanctions will cause some disruption in the work of the ICC. They will also alarm anyone working for or with the ICC. However, contrary to what the State Department may believe, these sanctions will not stop the work of the ICC.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Imposing Sanctions In Response To The ICC's Illegitimate Actions Targeting The United States And Israel
JUNE 5, 2025 Today, I am designating Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia pursuant to President Trump's Executive Order 14203, 'Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court.' These individuals directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without consent from the United States or Israel. Neither the United States nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute. As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel. 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 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. I call on the countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices to fight this disgraceful attack on our nation and Israel. All targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14203. For more information on today's actions, please see the Department of State's fact sheet and the Department of the Treasury's press release.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Abuse of power': Trump admin slaps sanctions on ICC judges over Netanyahu arrest warrant
In a major move, the Trump administration slapped sanctions on four International Criminal Court judges involved in cases tied to Israel and the United States. The judges, Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru), Reine Alapini Gansou (Benin), and Beti Hohler (Slovenia), will face US entry bans and asset freezes under new measures announced by the State Department. Marco Rubio defended the move, calling the ICC actions 'illegitimate' and warning of overreach in prosecuting US and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. Show more Show less
Middle East Eye
5 days ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
The four ICC judges sanctioned by the US for Palestine and Afghanistan work
The US State Department announced sanctions on Thursday against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), targeting them over investigations involving the United States and its ally Israel. The move follows the designation of ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan in February, under an executive order issued by US President Donald Trump shortly after he was reinaugurated. The governments of the Netherlands, Belgium and Slovenia have been among the first to denounce the sanctions as an attempt to obstruct the work of the court. The sanctioned judges are: ICC Second Vice-President Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru) and Beti Hohler (Slovenia). Alapini-Gansou and Hohler were targeted for their role as Pre-Trial judges in issuing arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges involve alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The Pre-Trial chamber that issued the warrants also included French Judge Nicolas Guillou, who was not subject to US sanctions. Judges Bossa and Ibanez Carranza were sanctioned for their participation in a 2020 ICC appeals chamber decision that allowed an investigation into crimes committed in Afghanistan since 2003. The scope of that investigation included the Taliban, Afghan National Security Forces, and US military and CIA personnel. These sanctions were imposed despite a 2021 decision by the ICC prosecutor to deprioritise investigations involving US nationals. The ICC has a total of 18 judges who serve in different chambers, including the Pre-Trial, Trial and Appeals chambers. Judges are nominated by state parties to the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding treaty, and then elected by the Assembly of States Parties, the court's governing body. Judges must demonstrate high moral character, impartiality and integrity, meeting the qualifications required in their home countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices. Once elected, ICC judges serve a non-renewable nine-year term. Below are the profiles of the four judges sanctioned by the Trump administration on 5 June 2025. Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda) Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa is a Ugandan jurist currently serving as a judge on the Appeals Chamber of the ICC, to which she was elected in 2017 and sworn in in March 2018. She has participated in appellate proceedings before the ICC concerning several landmark cases, including The Prosecutor v Bosco Ntaganda and The Prosecutor v Dominic Ongwen. According to her official profile, Judge Bossa joined the ICC after an extensive judicial career spanning national, regional and international legal bodies. She previously served on the United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (2012-2018), the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (2014-2018), and Uganda's Court of Appeal (2013-2018). Earlier, she held judicial roles at the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (2003-2013), the East African Court of Justice (2001-2006), and the High Court of Uganda (1997-2013). Before her judicial appointments, Bossa practised law privately between 1988 and 1997, and lectured at Uganda's Law Development Centre from 1980 to 1997. During that period, she was actively involved in human rights work, often representing disadvantaged women in court. She also played a central role in establishing and leading several NGOs focused on legal advocacy and support for individuals living with HIV and AIDS. Her professional commitments extended to legal institutions at both national and international levels. She was vice chairperson of the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute (1993-1999), led the Legal Aid Clinics at the Law Development Centre (1999-2001), and served as president of the Uganda Law Society (1993-1995). She also chaired the Uganda Law Council (1998-2003) and the National Steering Committee on Community Service (1997-2000). Judge Bossa is affiliated with several professional organisations, including the International Association of Women Judges and the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights. She is also an honorary member of the International Commission of Jurists. Judge Bossa holds a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from Uganda's Law Development Centre and a Master of Laws in public international law from the University of London. Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru) Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza, a Peruvian jurist, has served on the Appeals Chamber of the ICC since March 2018. Elected by the Assembly of States Parties in December 2017, she is the first Peruvian to hold a judgeship at the ICC. From 2021 to 2024, she served as first vice-president of the court, contributing to its administrative leadership alongside her judicial responsibilities. Prior to joining the ICC, Judge Ibanez Carranza held senior prosecutorial roles within Peru's national justice system, according to her official ICC profile. She served as a senior national prosecutor in the country's specialised system for addressing terrorism, grave human rights violations and crimes against humanity. In this capacity, she also acted as the coordinator of 17 prosecutorial offices responsible for such cases. During her tenure as a public prosecutor in her home country, Judge Ibanez Carranza implemented a range of victim-centred measures aimed at supporting reparations processes. These included efforts to search for missing persons, recover and identify remains from mass graves, and facilitate the return of those remains to victims' families. She also played a role in organising public ceremonies in which the Peruvian state issued official apologies and took part in operations to rescue children abducted by armed groups. Her work extended beyond the national context, as she was appointed on multiple occasions to represent Peru before international bodies. These included the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE), among others. Judge Ibanez Carranza holds a doctorate and a master's degree in criminal law from Universidad Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, and degrees in law and political science from Universidad Nacional de Trujillo. She also spent over 20 years as a university lecturer, teaching criminal law, criminal procedure and human rights law. Judge Ibanez Carranza has participated in appellate proceedings for landmark cases, including The Prosecutor v. Bosco Ntaganda and The Prosecutor v. Dominic Ongwen. Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin) Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou, from Benin, is the second vice-president of the ICC and a member of Pre-Trial Chamber I. She was a member of the Pre-Trial Chamber that issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March. On 13 November, a court in Moscow ordered her arrest in absentia over what the court said was an 'illegal' arrest warrant issued for Putin. Alapini-Gansou began her term as an ICC judge on 11 March 2018. Before joining the ICC, Alapini-Gansou served as chair of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, Africa's primary human rights body (2009-2012), and as special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in Africa (2005-2009 and 2012-2017). In 2011, she was appointed as a judge at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the world's oldest international court. Alapini-Gansou has served as a Pre-Trial judge in numerous cases, including those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Bolivia and Belarus. Her educational background includes a joint postgraduate degree (DEA) from the Universities of Maastricht (Netherlands), Lome (Togo) and Bhutan and a university degree in common law from the Jean Moulin University Lyon 3 (France). She also has a master's in business law and judicial careers from the National University of Benin. Judge Beti Hohler (Slovenia) Judge Beti Hohler, from Slovenia, is a member of Pre-Trial Chamber I. She was appointed to the chamber in October, following a sudden request for leave by her predecessor, Romanian Judge Iulia Motoc, on health grounds. Hohler is also a member of Trial Chamber V at the ICC, currently presiding over The Prosecutor v Alfred Yekatom and Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona case. She began her term as an ICC judge on 11 March 2024. Prior to this, she served as a trial lawyer in the Office of the Prosecutor at the ICC. Before joining the ICC in 2015, Hohler was an adviser for the EU Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. In February 2015, she wrote a legal and policy briefing commenting on Palestine's accession to the ICC. In her analysis, Hohler explained the legal consequences of Palestine's membership, how Israel may challenge the court and the extent of the court's jurisdiction over Israelis and non-Palestinians. She concluded that 'with Palestine's accession to the statute, the legal framework has changed and the parties to the conflict would be wise to accept and respect that'. Hohler began her career in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where she served at the Court of Appeals before working as a senior associate at a law firm. She regularly trains judges and advocates. Hohler is also co-founder of the Institute for International Legal and Advocacy Training in The Hague. According to her official profile, Hohler is the recipient of several awards, including the 2012 EU Common Security and Defence Policy Service Medal, awarded for her service in the Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo. She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and another one in international and European law from the University of Amsterdam.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Department sanctions four ICC judges for U.S., Israel probes
June 6 (UPI) -- The United States on Thursday sanctioned four International Criminal Court Judges, citing investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and Israeli leaders. The State Department announced the sanctions against Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz Del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia over what it described as the court's effort to "arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person without consent of that person's country of nationality." "We do not take this step lightly," the State Department statement said. "It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC's politicization and abuse of power." The State Department noted that Bossa and Ibanez Carranza had authorized an investigation against U.S. personnel in Afghanistan, while Alapini Gansou and Hohler authorized warrants to arrest Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant. Neither the United States nor Israel recognize the authority of the International Criminal Court. "As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions, targeting America or our close ally, Israel," Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement. "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." The sanctions impose a block on "all property and interests in property" of the aforementioned judges, and American citizens are also forbidden, as per the order, from doing any business with the four judges, unless they've been issued a precise license issued by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control or are exempt. The Assembly of States Parties, which serves as the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC, announced Friday in a press release that it rejects the orders put forth by Trump and Rubio. "Such actions risk undermining global efforts to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes of concern to the international community and erode the shared commitment to the rule of law, the fight against impunity, and the preservation of a rules-based international order," it said. European Union Council President Antonio Costa said via social media Friday that the EU "strongly supports" the ICC. "We must protect its independence and integrity. The rule of law must prevail over the rule of power," he said. The sanctions follow an executive order from Trump issued in February that considered "any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute protected persons" a threat to American national security and foreign policy, and declared economic sanctions against the ICC. The order's measures include the blocking of property and assets, and the suspension of entry to the United States of ICC officials, employees and agents, as well as their immediate family members.
