<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Spanish government “deplored” on Thursday, December 18, the sanctions adopted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio against two judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) who voted against Israel’s appeal against the court.</strong></h4> “Spain deplores the announcement of new sanctions adopted by the United States against two judges of the International Criminal Court,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release. “These sanctions represent a further attack against the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the International Criminal Court, seriously affecting its work,” it continued. “The International Criminal Court plays an indispensable role in ensuring accountability for the most serious crimes against humanity and in contributing to reparations for victims,” the Ministry asserted. Therefore, it continued, “Spain reaffirms its unequivocal support for the Court and expresses its full solidarity with the judges, prosecutors, and all ICC staff affected by these decisions.” “Spain will continue to fully comply with its commitments under the Rome Statute and international law, respecting and guaranteeing the full exercise of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court,” it concluded. Marco Rubio has imposed sanctions against Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, two judges who on Monday voted against Israel’s appeal to the ICC to prevent the arrest warrant issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Galant. The appeal aimed to halt or delay investigations into human rights abuses in Palestine. With the rejection of the appeal, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague confirmed its jurisdiction over the events that have occurred in the Gaza Strip since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. According to Rubio, the two sanctioned judges “have directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel’s consent, including voting with the majority in favor of the ICC’s ruling against Israel’s appeal on December 15.” “The ICC has continued to engage in politicized actions targeting Israel, which set a dangerous precedent for all nations. We will not tolerate ICC abuses of power that violate the sovereignty of the United States and Israel and wrongly subject U.S. and Israeli persons to the ICC’s jurisdiction,” he warned. “Our message to the Court has been clear: the United States and Israel are not party to the Rome Statute and therefore reject the ICC’s jurisdiction. We will continue to respond with significant and tangible consequences to the ICC’s lawfare and overreach,” he concluded. The ICC warned in a statement that the US sanctions constitute “a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution which operates pursuant to the mandate conferred by its States Parties from across regions” and “undermine the rule of law.” “When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk,” it stated. “the Court stands firmly behind its personnel and behind victims of unimaginable atrocities. It will continue to carry out its mandate with independence and impartiality, in full accordance with the Rome Statute and in the interest of victims of international crimes,” it affirmed. “The ICC values the consistent demonstrations of solidarity of States Parties, civil society and all those who support the rule of law and justice for the victims of international crimes. The Court will continue its work, with all partners, to ensure the effective and independent implementation of its mandate,” it concluded. Last June, the US government under Donald Trump announced sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court who had issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. On that occasion, the Spanish government expressed “its firm support for the International Criminal Court, the cornerstone of the international criminal justice system, and rejects any kind of interference in its work,” and recalled that the Hague Court “receives its mandate from the 125 States Parties to the Rome Statute” and its work “is key to reparations for victims and to the maintenance of international peace and security.”
