HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday expressed "serious concern" over the US decision to sanction four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged "transgressions against the United States and Israel."

"The secretary-general expresses serious concern about the designation of four judges of the International Criminal Court to be sanctioned under the executive order by the United States," UN spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference.

Noting that the UN and the ICC "are separate institutions with separate and distinct mandates," Haq affirmed that "the United Nations considers the ICC a key pillar of international criminal justice."

"The secretary-general respects its work and emphasizes the importance of the basic principle of judicial independence," he added.

Last week, the US announced sanctions against four ICC judges, namely second vice-president Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza from Peru, and Judge Beti Hohler from Slovenia.

"It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC’s politicization and abuse of power," said a statement by the US State Department.