The United States has officially imposed sanctions on two International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, Gocha Lordkipanidze and Erdenebalsuren Damdin, following their decision to reject Israel’s legal challenge regarding war crimes investigations in Gaza.
The US has banned these judges and their families from entering the country and has frozen any assets they may hold within US jurisdiction.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the judges engaged in the “illegitimate targeting” of Israeli nationals without Israel’s consent, which violates a US Executive Order aimed at protecting non-member allies from ICC prosecution.
This move follows a December 15 ruling where the ICC Appeals Chamber dismissed Israel’s attempt to halt the investigation. This is the third time the current US administration has sanctioned ICC officials in 2025.
The governing body of the ICC, the Assembly of States Parties, criticized the move, calling it a regrettable attempt to interfere with the court’s judicial independence. Human rights organizations have also warned that such pressure puts global justice at risk. However, the US remains firm. Secretary Rubio reiterated that because neither the US nor Israel are parties to the Rome Statute (the treaty that created the ICC), they do not recognize the court’s authority and will continue to fight what they describe as “judicial overreach.”
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