ICC judge in Duterte case among those sanctioned by US

MANILA, Philippines — One of the International Criminal Court (ICC) judges handling the pre-trial proceedings against former president Rodrigo Duterte is among those who have been sanctioned by the United States government.

Judge Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin, the ICC’s second vice president, is among the four judges sanctioned over the tribunal’s actions against the US and Israel.

Also sanctioned were Judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.

According to the US State Department, Bossa and Ibañez Carranza ruled to authorize the ICC’s investigation against US personnel in Afghanistan.

Alapini-Gansou and Hohler, meanwhile, ruled to authorize the ICC’s issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former minister of defense Yoav Gallant.

Alapini-Gansou is a member of ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber I handling the proceedings against Duterte.

Duterte’s camp is seeking her disqualification from ruling on their challenge against ICC’s jurisdiction over the case.

Although the US sanctions were due to the judges’ engagement in “any effort by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain or prosecute a protected person without consent of that person’s country of nationality,” the State Department’s advisory specifically highlighted their role in cases involving the US and Israel.

ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, currently on leave, was earlier subjected to similar sanctions by the US government.

“We do not take this step lightly. It reflects the seriousness of the threat we face from the ICC’s politicization and abuse of power,” the US State Department said in its statement.

The sanction blocks all property and interests in property of the judges that are in the US or in possession or control of US persons.

“Additionally, all individuals or entities that are owned, either directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked,” the State Department said.

It prohibited all US persons or those within the US from conducting transactions involving any property or interests in property of the sanctioned individuals.

“These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services by, to or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods or services from any such person,” it added.

The ICC deplored the sanctions imposed on the judges, saying “these measures are a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution.”

“Targeting those working for accountability does nothing to help civilians trapped in conflict. It only emboldens those who believe they can act with impunity. These sanctions are not only directed at designated individuals, they also target all those who support the Court, including nationals and corporate entities of States Parties,”the tribunal said.