ICC slams US’s sanctions on two judges over Israeli probe

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has deplored an announcement by the United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio imposing sanctions on two judges over the investigation and prosecution of Israelis.

This raises the number of court officials, including prosecutors and judges sanctioned by the US, to 11.

Judges Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia are the recent additions to the Washington’s growing sanctions list against the Hague-based court.

America charges that the ICC has continued to engage in politicised actions targeting Israel, arguing that it would not tolerate court abuses of power that violate the sovereignty of Israel and the US, and wrongly subjects American and Israeli persons to the ICC’s jurisdiction.

The ICC responded calling the actions a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution, which operated pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions.

It warned that the actions by the US targeting judges and prosecutors who were elected by States Parties undermined the rule of law and that the international legal order was being placed at risk.