Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.
The United Nations and European Union have condemned the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the US recently announced sanctions targeting four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges—Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru), Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin), and Beti Hohler (Slovenia)—in response to their involvement in two cases: the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza, and a separate 2020 decision to investigate alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan. The US government accused the judges of participating in “illegitimate and baseless” actions that threaten the sovereignty of both the United States and its allies. As part of the sanctions, the judges are banned from entering the US, any assets they may hold within the country are frozen, and their names have been added to the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Nationals list.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, both the UN and EU came out strongly against the United States’ decision to sanction four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), framing it as an assault on judicial independence and the international rule of law. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said, “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 US has long stood.” He added that such measures are “deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice,” and called for the immediate withdrawal of the sanctions.
European Union leaders also issued a unified and forceful response in defense of the ICC. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X, “The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice. It must be free to act without pressure.” European Council President Antonio Costa echoed this sentiment, describing the ICC as “a cornerstone of international justice.” He stated, “The International Criminal Court does not stand against nations – it stands against impunity. We must protect its independence and integrity. The rule of law must prevail over the rule of power.”
Other high-ranking EU officials joined the condemnation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the ICC’s role in delivering justice: “The International Criminal Court upholds justice in the face of the most serious crimes. It must remain free from pressure and true to its principles.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot also voiced strong support, saying, “Standing with the ICC means standing with the rule of law. Belgium will remain a steadfast supporter of the Court and its mission.” Austria’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing “deep regret” over the US move, while Slovenia, whose national Beti Hohler was among the sanctioned judges, announced it would propose activating the EU’s blocking statute to shield EU citizens and institutions from what it called unlawful foreign pressure.
