ICC Judges Sue Trump over "Financial Death Penalty"

Three judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin, have sued US President Donald Trump and his administration in federal court in Manhattan, describing sanctions imposed on them by the White House last year as unlawful.

According to the complaint, the sanctions were intended as extrajudicial pressure to punish the judges for past rulings and force them to put private interests ahead of the law. They argue that the restrictions exceeded the scope of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and were not based on a genuine threat to the United States.

The Trump administration imposed the sanctions after the tribunal issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opened an investigation into possible war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan. The United States, like Israel, China and Russia, does not recognize the ICC's authority.

The judges likened the restrictions to a "financial death penalty". In practice, they prevent them from conducting routine banking transactions, using credit cards, making purchases on platforms such as Amazon and Google, booking travel or accessing health insurance.

According to the judges, the sanctions also significantly hinder the submission of evidence in both ongoing and future court proceedings. US authorities have not yet responded to the situation.

(Reuters, Max)