UN Rights Chief Slams U.S. Sanctions on ICC Judges, Urges Immediate Withdrawal
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has sharply condemned the United States for imposing sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), calling the move a direct attack on the rule of law and judicial independence.
In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, Türk said he was “profoundly disturbed” by Washington’s decision and urged the Biden administration to reconsider and immediately lift the punitive measures.
“I call for the prompt reconsideration and withdrawal of these latest measures,” said the UN rights chief. “Sanctioning judges for fulfilling their legal responsibilities is not only unacceptable—it is corrosive to global justice and governance.”
The United States, which has had a historically contentious relationship with the ICC, announced the sanctions on Thursday. The measures target four judges involved in separate proceedings that have drawn Washington’s ire and further strained US relations with international judicial bodies.
Among those sanctioned are Judge Beti Hohler of Slovenia and Judge Reine Alapini-Gansou of Benin, who were part of the panel that approved an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last November.
The warrant followed a request by ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, alleging war crimes committed during Israel’s operations in Gaza.
The other two judges, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru and Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, participated in authorizing an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US forces in Afghanistan.
Türk emphasized that the decision by the US directly undermines judicial independence—both domestically and internationally.
“Attacks against judges for the performance of their judicial functions, whether at national or international level, run directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law,” he said. “These are values the United States has long claimed to champion.”
While the US has never been a member of the ICC, it has cooperated with the court in select instances. However, Washington has consistently objected to ICC investigations involving its own citizens or close allies, citing concerns over sovereignty and political bias.
The US sanctions sparked immediate criticism from legal scholars, rights groups, and international observers. Comparatively, Al Jazeera characterized the move as a “politically motivated backlash” against judicial oversight, while BBC World reported growing fears among international legal circles that such actions could set a dangerous precedent for intimidating global justice institutions.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) called the sanctions “shameful” and “an act of intimidation unworthy of a democratic nation that claims to uphold international law.”
This latest clash adds to a growing list of tensions between the ICC and global superpowers. While several African leaders have previously criticized the court for disproportionately targeting their continent, this latest episode highlights a trend of resistance from Western powers when proceedings threaten their political or military leadership.
In 2020, the Trump administration imposed similar sanctions against ICC officials investigating alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan measures that were reversed by the Biden administration in 2021.
The reimposition of sanctions now risks reviving accusations of double standards in international law enforcement.
