IT'S THE EU VS. THE US AND ISRAEL BY BACKING THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF CRIMINALS

EU backs 'cornerstone of international justice' after US sanctions ICC judges

The European Union on Friday threw its support behind the world’s top war crimes court after the United States sanctioned four of its judges in retaliation for having issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and for opening an alleged war crimes case into US troops in Afghanistan.  

 

France 24

Jun 6, 2025

European Union headquarters in Brussels, Belgium

 

The EU gave its backing on Friday to the International Criminal Court after Washington imposed sanctions on four ICC judges, and EU member Slovenia said it would push Brussels to use its power to ensure the US sanctions could not be enforced in Europe. EU member France also said it was renewing its call on the US to withdraw all sanctions against the court.

“The ICC holds perpetrators of the world’s gravest crimes to account and gives victims a voice. It must be free to act without pressure,” European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said on social media platform X.

Antonio Costa, president of the European Council, which represents national governments of the 27 member states, called the court “a cornerstone of international justice” and said its independence and integrity must be protected. US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on four judges at the ICC in retaliation for the war tribunal’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

The US order names Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

The US sanctions mean the judges are now on a list of specially designated sanctioned individuals. Any US assets they have will be blocked and they are put on an automated screening service used by not only American banks but many banks worldwide, making it very difficult for sanctioned persons to hold or open bank accounts or transfer money.  Trump’s initial order announcing sanctions on the ICC also said that US citizens who provide services for the benefit of sanctioned individuals could face civil and criminal penalties.

France said on Friday it backed the International Criminal Court after Washington imposed sanctions on four ICC judges, and said it was renewing its call on the United States to withdraw all its sanctions against the court.

"France expresses its solidarity with the judges targeted by this decision, and reaffirms its unwavering support for the ICC and its staff, whose role is essential in the fight against impunity," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Slovenia urges EU to block sanctions

Slovenia urged the EU to use its blocking statute, which lets the EU ban European companies from complying with US sanctions that Brussels deems unlawful. The power has been used in the past to prevent Washington from banning European trade with Cuba and Iran.

“Due to the inclusion of a citizen of an EU member state on the sanctions list, Slovenia will propose the immediate activation of the blocking act,” Slovenia’s foreign ministry said in a post on social media site X late on Thursday.

ICC president Judge Tomoko Akane had urged the EU already in March this year to bring the ICC into the scope of the blocking statute.

The new sanctions have been imposed at a difficult time for the ICC, which is already reeling from earlier US sanctions against its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, who last month stepped aside temporarily amid a United Nations investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

The court’s governing body, which represents its 125 member states, on Friday condemned the US government’s decision to retaliate against judges.

“These ... are regrettable attempts to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions,” the Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties said.