HAMILTON, Canada

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday voiced deep concern over the latest US sanctions on two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, emphasizing the court's role in ensuring international justice.

"The secretary-general expresses serious concern about the designation of two additional judges of the International Criminal Court to be sanctioned under the executive order, as well as the ongoing designation of other international criminal court and United Nations officials," Guterres' spokesperson Farhan Haq said at a news conference.


While noting that the UN and ICC are "separate institutions with separate and distinct mandates," Haq stressed that the UN considers the ICC a "key pillar of international criminal justice, and the Secretary General respects its work."


"The secretary-general also emphasizes the importance of the basic principle of judicial independence," he added.


Pointing to the relationship agreement between the UN and ICC approved by the UN General Assembly in 2004, Haq stressed that "the UN remains committed to cooperating with the ICC."


Earlier Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced sanctions on ICC judges Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, accusing them of being "directly engaged" in "the illegitimate targeting of Israel."

The US had previously sanctioned ICC officials for authorizing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.