U.S. Sanctions Target International Criminal Court Judges Amid Controversy

Wed Oct 22 2025 11:34:00 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

The U.S. escalates tensions with the ICC, imposing sanctions on judges investigating military personnel and Israeli officials.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has announced U.S. sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court due to investigations into U.S. military actions and the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials. This move reflects long-standing tensions between the U.S., Israel, and the ICC.

The U.S. Department of State has intensified its standoff with the International Criminal Court (ICC) by imposing sanctions on four judges involved in proceedings against U.S. military personnel and prominent Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced this decision on Thursday, labeling the judges as detrimental to U.S. and Israeli sovereignty.

The sanctions specifically target judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, who have been implicated in authorizing investigations and arrest warrants regarding serious allegations against U.S. personnel and Israeli leadership. This measure follows similar actions taken earlier this year against ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan, who initiated a case highlighting alleged war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza.

Both the United States and Israel are not signatories to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, leading to their persistent opposition against its jurisdiction over their officials. Historically, during Mike Pompeo's tenure as Secretary of State, sanctions were also placed against ICC officials that investigated U.S. actions in Afghanistan, showcasing a continuous trend of resistance against international legal scrutiny.

In his remarks, Rubio emphasized the U.S. commitment to protecting both its sovereignty and that of its allies, framing the ICC's actions as detrimental to national interests. The consequences of these sanctions include the freezing of U.S.-based assets of the judges and a prohibition against American businesses interacting with them.

Established in 1998, the ICC serves as the highest criminal court globally for the prosecution of serious international crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. However, its capacity is hindered, as it relies on member states to enforce its decisions—a challenge when many influential nations, including the U.S., choose not to recognize its authority.

As tensions continue to build between the U.S. and the ICC, Rubio has called upon nations that value the ICC's mission to unite against what he views as an unjust assault on both American and Israeli officials.