USA imposes sanctions on four members of the International Criminal Court

The administration of President Donald Trump imposed on Wednesday sanctions on two judges and two prosecutors of the International Criminal Court (CPI), involved in the issuance last year of an arrest warrant against Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes and against humanity within the framework of the military offensive in Gaza.

The United States appointed Nicolas Yann Guillou, from France; Nazhat Shameem Khan, from Fiji, Mame Mandiaye Niang, from Senegal; and Kimberly Prost, from Canada, according to the Department of Treasury and the State Department.

«These people are foreigners who participated directly in the efforts of the International Criminal Court to investigate, arrest, stop or process citizens of the United States or Israel, without the consent of either of the two nations,» explained in a statement, Marco Rubio, the head of US diplomacy.

The Secretary of State said that «the United States has been clear and firm in its opposition to politicization, abuse of power, contempt for national sovereignty and illegitimate judicial overreach of the International Criminal Court.»

He also considered that the court represents a threat to national security.

«I urge countries that still support the ICC, many whose freedom was bought at the price of great American sacrifices, to resist the claims of this institution bankrupt,» he said.

The Trump administration sanctioned the chief prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan and in June imposed sanctions against four court judges.

The Office of the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, applauded the US measure, qualifying it «decisive» against the «false discredit campaign» promoted against Israel and its army, as well as «in favor of truth and justice.»

For its part, the Court «vigorously» condemned the sanctions saying in a statement that they «constitute a flagrant attack on the independence of an impartial judicial institution that operates under the mandate of 125 states» and said that «firmly supports» its staff.

Meanwhile, the United Nations said that the sanctions imposed «undermine the foundations of international justice,» said Stéphane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General, António Guterres.

«This decision is a serious impediment to the operation of the prosecutor’s office (of the ICC) with respect to all the cases that are now before the Court,» said the spokesman for the General Secretariat.