South Africa Criticizes U.S. Sanctions on ICC Judges
(MENAFN) South Africa has voiced dismay regarding recent sanctions by the United States against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing the move as an "attempt to intimidate and obstruct" the court's mission to ensure accountability for atrocities such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation expressed "deep concern," noting that the sanctions—together with earlier ones imposed on the ICC prosecutor—"represent a direct affront" to foundational principles of global justice and the supremacy of international law.
The ministry emphasized that “such punitive actions against judicial officers performing their mandated duties are regrettable,” highlighting that these sanctions jeopardize the ICC's impartiality and damage the credibility of global legal frameworks.
It also warned that such measures hinder the court and its personnel from fulfilling their independent judicial responsibilities.
South Africa further cautioned that the punitive measures establish a "dangerous precedent" that could empower those attempting to escape justice for egregious breaches of human rights and international statutes.
This, it noted, poses a “significant challenge to the global fight against impunity and the enforcement of international norms.”
"The pursuit of justice for victims of the gravest crimes must not be compromised by political considerations," the ministry stated, reiterating the country's unwavering support for the core principles enshrined in the Rome Statute.
The sanctions in question were enacted by the U.S. government last week and targeted four ICC judges: second vice-president Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou from Benin, Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa from Uganda, Judge Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza from Peru, and Judge Beti Hohler from Slovenia.
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