US sanctions four ICC judges, including deputy prosecutor Khan

WASHINGTON, United States — WASHINGTON — The United States has imposed sanctions on four judges of the International Criminal Court, including its president, Japanese judge Tomoko Akane, and deputy prosecutor, Senegalese judge Abdullah Say. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the sanctioned officials had played a direct role in investigations and arrest warrants falling outside the jurisdiction the United States recognizes. Rubio described the ICC as a "corrupt and deeply politicized" institution and said the Trump administration would not tolerate interference with the rights of sovereign states. The measures bar the targeted judges from entering the United States and restrict their financial transactions within the country. In response, the court said the sanctions weaken the international legal order, warning that "when judges are threatened for applying the law, the international legal system is endangered." The ICC added that the sanctions would not deter it from its work and that it would continue to stand with victims. The action follows rising tensions after the ICC issued arrest warrants in 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The United States is not a member of the court and does not recognize its jurisdiction over nationals of countries that have not ratified the Rome Statute, a position that has shaped previous sanctions against ICC officials.