Kuwait City: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday the imposition of sanctions on four judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to what he described as the ICC’s illegitimate actions targeting the United States and Israel. The judges affected by these sanctions are Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Secretary Rubio stated that these judges were involved in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals from the United States or Israel without their respective consent. He emphasized that neither the United States nor Israel is a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, and noted that the sanctions were in line with President Trump’s Executive Order 14203.
Secretary Rubio criticized the actions of the ICC, claiming that the court is politicized and wrongfully asserts the au
thority to investigate and prosecute nationals from the US and its allies. He argued that such actions pose a threat to the sovereignty and national security of the United States and its allies, including Israel. Rubio further expressed the US’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty and that of its allies from what he described as illegitimate actions by the ICC.
In his statement, Rubio urged countries that continue to support the ICC to reconsider their stance, highlighting the sacrifices made by the United States to ensure their freedom. He called on these nations to join the US in opposing what he termed as a disgraceful attack on the sovereignty of both the United States and Israel.