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EU Condemns US Sanctions on ICC Judges, Calls for Judicial Independence
EU and UN decry US sanctions on four ICC judges, stressing the court’s independence and rule of law. Slovenia to activate EU blocking statute in response.
ND
by News Desk
2025-06-06
EU Condemns US Sanctions on ICC Judges, Calls for Judicial Independence

The European Union has expressed deep regret over recent US sanctions imposed on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), affirming its unwavering support for the Hague-based court’s crucial role in global justice.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions against the judges, accusing them of taking “illegitimate and baseless actions” targeting the US and its allies. The sanctions add the judges to a special list that freezes any US-based assets and restricts financial transactions worldwide.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded firmly on social media, stating, “The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice. It must be free to act without pressure.” She emphasized that the EU stands behind the court’s judicial independence.

The four sanctioned judges include Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia. Slovenia, as an EU member state, has rejected the sanctions, describing them as undue pressure on judicial institutions and called for the activation of the EU’s blocking statute, which prohibits compliance with what Brussels deems unlawful sanctions.

United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk expressed being “profoundly disturbed” by the US action, highlighting that attacks on judges undermine respect for the rule of law and the fair administration of justice—principles long upheld by the US.

The sanctions come following the ICC’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and investigations into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

The US State Department justified the sanctions as a response to these ICC decisions, asserting that US and Israeli military personnel are subject to “harassment, abuse, and possible arrest” by the court.

This marks the latest episode in a strained relationship between the US and the ICC, with previous sanctions and executive orders issued during the Trump administration aimed at limiting the court’s reach.

The EU, UN, and other international bodies continue to call for the protection of judicial independence to ensure justice is served without political interference.

 
Tagged:

ICC

USsanctions

InternationalJustice

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