Three judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have brought to court a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and several high-ranking American officials over sanctions imposed on them, saying they are illegal and unfair.
Judge Kimberly Prost, of Canada, Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa, from Uganda and Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou from Benin filed the lawsuit in a New York Court.
The sanctions, the judges say, were meant to put pressure on them for their judicial actions.
So far, the Trump Administration has sanctioned 11 ICC officials, including the court’s chief prosecutor.
Among these sanctions are travel bans and asset freezes.
Many of the measures were instituted following an investigation by the ICC into Israel, which in 2024 issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes.
The sanctions are meant to “discipline” the judges for their previous rulings and to steer them in the direction for future rulings, the lawsuit reads.
The judges say that such actions are detrimental to judicial independence and to the proper administration of justice.
The filing calls the sanctions a “financial death penalty” as they have reportedly deprived the judges of their normal financial services.
They claim they can’t use credit cards, bank or online services like Amazon and Google.
The lawsuit states that the sanctions are unprecedented and request that they be lifted.
In addition to Trump, the case names Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, and Bradley Smith, director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The United States is not a member of ICC and has consistently opposed some of its investigations.
Such sanctions were applied to ICC officials involved in the investigation of alleged abuses during the war in Afghanistan led by the United States during Trump’s first term.
The sanctions were subsequently removed by the former President Joe Biden’s administration.
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