US sanctions on ICC judges highlight pursuit of selective justice
Posted: 30th June 2025
On 5 June, I watched as US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced fresh sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), who now face asset freezes and travel bans to the United States.
Their crime? Investigating potential war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza and the West Bank.
In late 2024, the judges – who hail from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda – had issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and defence minister Yoav Gallant, as well as senior Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh – a rare attempt at parity in international justice.
To me, the US government’s response was not just another geopolitical spat. It was another stark reminder of a deeper, long-standing pattern: the consistent undermining of multilateral justice when it threatens the interests of powerful states or their allies.