International Penalties Enforced Against Judges of International War Crimes Court

Imposed Sanctions on Judges of the International Criminal Court by the United States - Punitive Measures Imposed on Judges of the Criminal Court by the United States

The United States has imposed sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in June, in response to the ongoing threat against Americans and Israelis. The sanctions were announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a move that was initiated by President Donald Trump in February 2020.

The four individuals sanctioned are Kimberly Prost (Canada), Nicolas Guillou (France), Nazhat Shameem Khan (Fiji), and Mame Mandiaye Niang (Senegal). These individuals were involved in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting Americans and Israelis without the consent of their respective countries.

The ICC, seated in The Hague, has been pursuing the most serious crimes, such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, since 2002. Notable countries that have not joined the ICC include the United States, Russia, China, India, and Israel, among others. The US government has imposed sanctions on judges and prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to reflect its non-membership and opposition to the court's jurisdiction.

During his first term as US President, Trump ordered sanctions against the ICC when the court was investigating alleged war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan. Trump accused the ICC of abuse of power. The sanctions will result in any property belonging to the four individuals in the US being frozen, and US companies and US citizens are prohibited from doing business with the sanctioned individuals.

However, President Joe Biden later reversed the sanctions imposed by Trump. No mention was made of a travel ban in relation to the sanctions. Rubio accused the ICC of politicization and disregarding the sovereignty of the United States.

It is important to note that all EU countries are members of the ICC, but the US, Israel, and Russia are not signatories. The ICC's jurisdiction is controversial, with some countries arguing that it infringes upon national sovereignty. The US's decision to impose sanctions on ICC officials highlights the ongoing tension between international law and national interests.