US imposes sanctions on 4 International Criminal Court judges

WASHINGTON

The US imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday.

Rubio said he designated Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

"These individuals directly engaged in efforts by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute nationals of the United States or Israel, without consent from the United States or Israel.

"Neither the United States nor Israel is party to the Rome Statute," he said in a statement.

Rubio said these judges have "actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel."

According to the statement, Bossa and Ibanez Carranza ruled to authorize the ICC’s investigation against US personnel in Afghanistan, and Alapini Gansou and Hohler ruled to authorize the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

Rubio said the "dangerous assertion and abuse of power" infringes on the sovereignty and national security of the US and its allies, including Israel.

"The United States will take whatever actions we deem necessary to protect our sovereignty, that of Israel, and any other U.S. ally from illegitimate actions by the ICC.

"I call on the countries that still support the ICC, many of whose freedom was purchased at the price of great American sacrifices to fight this disgraceful attack on our nation and Israel," he added.