Sanctions Imposed on ICC Judges by Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently declared that he would impose sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for efforts deemed hostile towards the U.S. and Israel, countries that are not signatories to the court.

In a statement, Rubio mentioned the specific judges: Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Luz Del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza from Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, and Betty Hawler from Slovenia. He stated that they participated in the ICC’s attempts to investigate or prosecute U.S. or Israeli citizens without proper consent. Rubio emphasized that neither the U.S. nor Israel are parties to the Roman law framework that governs the ICC.

According to Rubio, these judges are implicated in what he describes as the ICC’s unfounded and politically motivated actions against both the U.S. and its ally, Israel. He argued that such activities infringe upon U.S. sovereignty and threaten national security for the U.S. and its allies.

This move follows a period where President Trump had reinstated ICC sanctions in February, after President Biden had lifted them previously. Historically, the United States has not recognized the ICC’s authority over its officials and had imposed sanctions during Trump’s term due to the court’s actions targeting U.S. military personnel related to Afghanistan.

Biden, while removing the sanctions, reiterated that the U.S. maintains its stance against ICC jurisdiction, voicing his displeasure when the court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Moreover, Israel, also not bound by the same legal framework, saw a quick filing of charges against Netanyahu by ICC prosecutor Karim Khan following allegations of misconduct against Khan, which many view as an attempt to divert attention.