Latest news with #SolomyBossa
LBCI
5 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Trump administration imposes sanctions on four ICC judges in unprecedented move
President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court, an unprecedented retaliation over the war tribunal's investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and over the court's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Washington designated Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "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," Rubio said. The ICC did not immediately have comment. Reuters
Japan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Trump administration imposes sanctions on four ICC judges in unprecedented move
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court, an unprecedented retaliation over the war tribunal's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Washington designated Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. "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," Rubio said. The ICC slammed the move, saying it was an attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution that provides hope and justice to millions of victims of "unimaginable atrocities." Both judges Bossa and Ibanez Carranza have been on the ICC bench since 2018. In 2020, they were involved in an appeals chamber decision that allowed the ICC prosecutor to open a formal investigation into alleged war crimes by American troops in Afghanistan. Since 2021, the court had deprioritized the investigation into American troops in Afghanistan and focused on alleged crimes committed by the Afghan government and the Taliban forces. ICC judges also issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri last November for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict. Alapini Gansou and Hohler ruled to authorize the arrest warrant against Netanyahu and Gallant, Rubio said. The move deepens the administration's animosity toward the court. During the first Trump administration in 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her top aides over the court's work on Afghanistan. The measures also follow a January vote at the U.S. House of Representatives to punish the ICC in protest over its Netanyahu arrest warrant. The move underscored strong support among Trump's fellow Republicans for Israel's government. The measures triggered an uproar among human-rights advocates. Liz Evenson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, said the punitive measures were a "flagrant attack on the rule of law at the same time as President Trump is working to undercut it at home." Sanctions severely hamper individuals' abilities to carry out even routine financial transactions as any banks with ties to the United States, or that conduct transactions in dollars, are expected to have to comply with the restrictions. But the Treasury Department also issued general licenses, including one allowing the wind-down of any existing transactions involving those targeted on Thursday until July 8, as long as any payment to them is made to a blocked, interest-bearing account located in the U.S. The new sanctions come at a difficult time for the ICC, which is already reeling from earlier U.S. sanctions against its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who last month stepped aside temporarily amid a United Nations investigation into his alleged sexual misconduct. The ICC, which was established in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the U.N. Security Council. The United States, China, Russia and Israel are not members. It has high-profile war crimes investigations under way into the Israel-Hamas conflict and Russia's war in Ukraine as well as in Sudan, Myanmar, the Philippines, Venezuela and Afghanistan. The ICC has issued arrest warrants for President Vladimir Putin on suspicion of deporting children from Ukraine, and for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Neither country is a member of the court and both deny the accusations and reject ICC jurisdiction.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Marco Rubio sanctions ICC for targeting US and Israel
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced his department will impose sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for "illegitimate" targeting of Israel and the sanctions are in response to the ICC issuing arrest warrants for top Israeli officials, including Benjamin Netanyahu, and its investigation into alleged US war crimes in four judges named are all women: Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of ICC has responded in a statement, saying it "deplores" the sanctions which are "a clear attempt to undermine" its independence. The measures require all property and interests owned by the judges in the US to be blocked and reported to the Treasury department. In a statement, Rubio accused the judges of "illegitimate and baseless actions" targeting Israel and the US."These four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel," he also described the ICC as "politicized" and said it "falsely claims unfettered discretion" to investigate nationals of the US and its allies."This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel."In its response, the ICC said it "stands fully behind its personnel" and will continue its work "undeterred"."Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict," the court said."These sanctions are not only directed at designated individuals, they also target all those who support the Court... They are aimed against innocent victims in all Situations before the Court."The ICC is a global court with the power to bring prosecutions for genocide, crimes against humanity and war year, it issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel's former defence minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in arrest warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif was also issued but Hamas later confirmed he was killed in an airstrike last judges said there were "reasonable grounds" the three men bore "criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the war between Israel and Israel and Hamas have rejected the February, US President Donald Trump imposed economic sanctions against the ICC, including against its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and said the court had "abused its power".In Thursday's announcement, the US state department said two of the judges, Bossa and Ibáñez Carranza had authorised the ICC's investigation against US personnel in other two judges, Alapini Gansou and Hohler, had ruled to issue arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Trump administration sanctions International Criminal Court judges
The administration of President Donald Trump has followed through with a threat to sanction officials on the International Criminal Court (ICC), naming four judges whom it accuses of taking 'illegitimate and baseless actions' against the United States and its allies. On Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions in a sharply worded written statement. 'The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies,' Rubio wrote. 'This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel.' The four sanctioned judges include Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. As a result of the sanctions, the judges will see their US-based property and assets blocked. US-based entities are also forbidden from engaging in transactions with them, including through the 'provision of funds, goods or services'. The ICC quickly issued a statement in response, saying it stood behind its judges and 'deplores' the Trump administration's decision. '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 statement said. 'Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity.' In a fact sheet, the State Department explained that Bossa and Ibanez Carranza were sanctioned for authorising an investigation into US troops in Afghanistan in 2020, during Trump's first term as president. Previously, the ICC had blocked a request to probe alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, where the US had been leading a slow-grinding war from 2001 to 2021. But it reversed course the following year, granting a prosecutor's request to investigate US forces and members of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for war crimes in 'secret detention facilities' in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Afghanistan, the court noted, was a member of the Rome Statute, which includes the 125 countries where the ICC has jurisdiction. But the Trump administration at the time blasted the court's decision, calling the ICC a 'political institution masquerading as a legal body'. It has long argued that the US, which is not party to the Rome Statute, lies outside the ICC's jurisdiction. Another country that is not a member of the Rome Statute is Israel, which has used similar arguments to reject the ICC's power over its actions in Palestine. The second pair of judges named in Thursday's sanctions — Alapini Gansou and Hohler — were sanctioned for their actions against Israeli leaders, according to the US State Department. The US is Israel's oldest ally, having been the first to recognise the country in 1948. It has since offered Israel strong support, including for its ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed an estimated 54,607 Palestinians so far. Experts at the United Nations and human rights organisations have compared Israel's military campaign in Gaza to a genocide, as reports continue to emerge of alleged human rights abuses. In November 2024, those accusations spurred the ICC to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, who have both been accused of war crimes in Gaza, including intentional attacks on civilians. Alapini Gansou and Hohler reportedly took part in those proceedings. This is not the first time that the US has issued restrictions against an ICC official since Trump returned to office for a second term on January 20. Shortly after taking office, Trump issued a broad executive order threatening anyone who participates in ICC investigations with sanctions. Critics warned that such sweeping language could pervert the course of justice, for example by dissuading witnesses from coming forward with evidence. But Trump argued that the recent arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant necessitated such measures. He also claimed that the US and Israel were 'thriving democracies' that 'strictly adhere to the laws of war' and that the ICC's investigations threatened military members with 'harassment, abuse and possible arrest'. 'This malign conduct in turn threatens to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and undermines the critical national security and foreign policy work of the United States Government and our allies, including Israel,' the executive order said. Under that order, the US sanctioned ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who had petitioned the court for the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. That, in turn, slowed the investigation into Israel's actions in Gaza, and Khan later stepped away from his role amid allegations of sexual misconduct. But Trump has a history of opposing the ICC, stretching back to his first term. In 2019, for instance, Trump announced his administration would deny or yank visas for ICC officials involved in investigating US troops in Afghanistan. Then, in 2020, he sanctioned ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and a court official named Phakiso Mochochoko for their involvement in the investigation. Those actions were later overturned under President Joe Biden. Critics, however, warn that Trump's actions could have dire consequences over the long term for the ICC, which relies on its member countries to execute orders like arrest warrants. The court itself has called for an end to the threats.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump administration defends US and Israeli sovereignty with new sanctions against four ICC judges
The Trump administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court over allegations against Israel. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. "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," Rubio said. The sanctions against the Hague-based court are related to Trump Feb. 6 executive order. He signed the executive order punishing the ICC in response to its May 2024 arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity amid Israel's ongoing conflict against Hamas. Rubio said the four ICC judges "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," he said. "This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel." He said the United States will take "whatever actions we deem necessary" to protect its sovereignty, that of Israel, and other U.S. allies from "illegitimate actions by the ICC." Rubio noted that member states of the court, "many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices" and to push back against the court for its "disgraceful attack" against the U.S. and Israel. Fox News Digital has reached out to the ICC. The ICC only prosecutes cases when domestic law enforcement authorities cannot or will not investigate. Israel is not a member of the court. Despite the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the court has no police powers to enforce warrants, instead choosing to rely on cooperation from its member states.
