The International Criminal Court rejects US sanctions and considers them an assault on its independence

The International Criminal Court expressed today, Thursday, its rejection of the sanctions imposed by the United States on two members of the Court's body, considering it "a blatant assault on the independence of an international judicial body."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the two judges, from Mongolia and Georgia, voted earlier this week against Israel's challenge to the Court's jurisdiction in the investigation "into crimes allegedly committed in the Gaza Strip."

This step comes after previous US sanctions in March last year, which included two judges from France and Canada and two prosecutors in the Court, on the grounds of their participation in investigation efforts or issuing arrest warrants against American or Israeli citizens.

Earlier this month, the President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Tomoko Akane, said that the US sanctions imposed on senior officials and judges of the Court directly affected the personal lives of the targeted judges and officials.

Akane emphasized, in the opening of the meetings of the Assembly of States Parties in The Hague, that the judicial body "will not accept any pressure of any kind."

Previously, the Appeals Chamber in the International Criminal Court rejected Israel's objection to the arrest warrants issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, in November 2024. After the Court accused them of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip.