I’m wondering why Jaque Baud has no recourse? Does anyone here know?
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ICC judges sue Trump over his retaliatory sanctions
By Al Mayadeen English
25 Jun 2026 23:48
Three ICC judges have filed a case in a US federal court challenging sanctions imposed by Trump, arguing the measures unlawfully restricted their financial access and interfered with their judicial independence.
Three judges from the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against US President Donald Trump and his administration, contesting sanctions imposed on them last year and arguing the measures were unlawful.
In a complaint submitted to federal court in Manhattan, judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin said the sanctions were intended to apply extrajudicial pressure aimed at punishing and coercing them.
A White House official claimed that Trump acted lawfully under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) when imposing the sanctions, which he alleged addressed “an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States involving the International Criminal Court, including the ICC's illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
“The Administration will continue to vigorously defend the President's actions—protecting the national security and foreign policy of our country first and foremost,” the official added.
A State Department official, declining to comment on ongoing litigation, said the ICC continues to “present a threat to our sovereignty and our national interests,” adding that the Trump administration “will never allow unelected foreign judges to dictate terms to the United States.”
Background to the sanctions
The Trump administration imposed sanctions on multiple ICC judges last year in an unprecedented move following the court’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a previous decision to open an investigation into war crimes by US forces in Afghanistan.
Sanctions of this kind significantly restrict individuals’ financial activity, as banks connected to the US financial system or processing dollar transactions are generally required to comply with the measures.
The ICC, established in 2002, has jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed in member states or in cases referred by the UN Security Council.
Although the court’s authority covers 125 member countries, several major entities, including the United States, China, Russia, and "Israel", do not recognize its jurisdiction.
The Trump administration’s opposition to the court dates back to Trump’s first term. In 2020, Washington imposed sanctions on then-prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and one of her senior aides over the ICC’s Afghanistan investigation.
Judges challenge legal basis for measures
In their filing, the judges argue that the sanctions exceeded the authority granted under IEEPA and were not grounded in a legitimate national emergency or extraordinary threat.
“The Sanctions Regime ... is designed to exert extra-judicial pressure on these judges and their colleagues on the ICC bench by targeting their financial and other personal interests, with the objective of punishing them for prior judicial decisions and coercing them into prioritizing their private interests over deciding cases on the basis of the law and facts,” the lawsuit stated.
They added that being subjected to sanctions under IEEPA is comparable to a “financial death penalty,” saying the restrictions have left Judges Prost, Bossa, and Alapini-Gansou unable to carry out basic personal and professional functions. The measures reportedly prevent them from using credit cards, accessing banking services, and using widely used online platforms such as Amazon and Google, while also restricting their ability to book travel and, in some cases, obtain health insurance.
The filing also says the sanctions prevent the judges from submitting evidence and legal arguments in any current or future proceedings before them.
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/icc-judges-sue-trump-over-his-retaliatory-sanctions
