UN Warns US Sanctions on ICC Judges “Undermine International Justice”

The United Nations on Wednesday voiced deep concern over Washington’s decision to impose new sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, warning that the measures erode the credibility and functioning of international justice. The US state department announced new sanctions on two ICC judges and two ICC prosecutors, saying they had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets that the targets hold in US jurisdictions are frozen. Israel welcomed the move announced by the secretary of state, Marco Rubio.

At a UN press briefing in New York, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric emphasized, “the ICC is a key pillar of international criminal justice,” and warned that targeting its officials both obstructs the court’s work and undermines judicial independence. “Judicial independence is a basic principle that must be respected,” he added, noting the sanctions impose “severe impediments” to the prosecutor’s office and ongoing ICC cases. He also clarified that, while the ICC is not a UN institution and remains independent, Secretary-General António Guterres supports its mission unequivocally.

The sanctions directly target ICC judges, including one who authorized arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over their role in the Gaza war.

Although the ICC is not a UN institution, Dujarric noted that the punitive measures represent a broader attack on judicial independence. “Judicial independence is a basic principle that must be respected, and these types of measures undermine the foundation of international justice,” he affirmed.

The US action comes as Israel faces mounting legal scrutiny. The ICC prosecutor has accused Israeli leaders of war crimes, while the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is currently hearing a genocide case against Israel.

This latest wave of sanctions follows earlier U.S. actions exempting the ICC from its jurisdiction and imposing penalties on top officials. On February 6, 2025, Executive Order 14203 (titled “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court”) was issued, targeting court staff involved in investigations of U.S. and allied nationals, including in Afghanistan and Gaza.

On June 5, 2025, the U.S. sanctioned four ICC judges—Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza (Peru), Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou (Benin), and Beti Hohler (Slovenia)—for their involvement in arrest warrants against Israeli officials and investigations into alleged war crimes by U.S. forces.

Since October 2023, more than 62,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza, according to local health authorities. The enclave is also on the brink of famine as humanitarian access remains heavily restricted.

Dujarric warned that the sanctions would impose “severe impediments on the functioning of the office of the prosecutor and respect for all the situations that are currently before the court.”

As international courts step up efforts to hold leaders accountable for atrocities, the clash between Washington and the ICC underscores a wider question: whether powerful states will allow international justice to function when their allies are in the dock.

EU leaders swiftly denounced the U.S. moves. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the ICC as “a cornerstone of international justice” that must act “without pressure.” European Council President António Costa echoed the sentiment, stating the court does not stand against nations, but against impunity.

Human Rights Watch and 58 NGOs called on the EU to unequivocally defend the ICC and its mandate, warning that abandoning the Court would betray victims worldwide.

©TNPP