EU affirms its unwavering support for the ICC, denouncing US sanctions as a threat to judicial independence and justice.<\/p>\n
The European Union \u201cdeeply regrets\u201d the United States sanctions placed on four judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC), European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has said.<\/p>\n
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced sanctions on four judges whom the US accuses of taking \u201cillegitimate and baseless actions\u201d against the US and its allies.<\/p>\n
Responding to the announcement on Friday, von der Leyen said the Hague-based court had the \u201cfull support\u201d of the EU.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ICC holds perpetrators of the world\u2019s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice,\u201d von der Leyen said on X on Friday. \u201cIt must be free to act without pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said he was \u201cprofoundly disturbed\u201d by the US decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cAttacks against judges for performance of their judicial functions, at national or international levels, run directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law \u2013 values for which the US has long stood,\u201d Turk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch attacks are deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice,\u201d he added, calling for the sanctions to be withdrawn.<\/p>\n
Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, which represents national governments of the 27 EU member states, also called the court \u201ca cornerstone of international justice\u201d and said its independence and integrity must be protected.<\/p>\n
\nThe Commission fully supports the @IntlCrimCourt<\/a> & its officials. <\/p>\n
The ICC holds perpetrators of the world\u2019s gravest crimes to account & gives victims a voice.<\/p>\n
It must be free to act without pressure.<\/p>\n
We will always stand for global justice & the respect of international law.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The US State Department said the sanctions were issued after the court made decisions to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a separate decision in 2020 to open an investigation into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
EU member Slovenia said it \u201crejects pressure on judicial institutions\u201d and urged the EU to use its blocking statute.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to the inclusion of a citizen of an EU member state on the sanctions list, Slovenia will propose the immediate activation of the blocking act,\u201d Slovenia\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on X.<\/p>\n
The mechanism lets the EU ban European companies from complying with US sanctions that Brussels deems unlawful. The power has been used in the past to prevent Washington from banning European trade with Cuba and Iran.<\/p>\n
\nSlovenia regrets the announced sanctions by the US\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 government against 4 judges of the @IntlCrimCourt<\/a> , including a judge from #Slovenia<\/a>. SI\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddee rejects pressure on judicial institutions and influence on judicial operations, and courts must act in the interests of law and justice.\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/xhwBj8XeMz<\/a><\/p>\n