Federal judge blocks enforcement of Trump's order on ICC
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US District Judge Nancy Torresen has ruled that the executive order unlawfully infringes on free speech rights, as it substantially restricts more speech than necessary.
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A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands, on March 12, 2025 (AP)
A federal judge blocked on Friday the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting individuals working with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The decision stems from an April lawsuit filed by two human rights advocates who challenged Trump’s February 6 order, which authorized sweeping economic and travel sanctions against those involved in ICC investigations of US citizens or allies, including "Israel".
US District Judge Nancy Torresen ruled that the executive order unlawfully infringes on free speech rights, writing that it "appears to restrict substantially more speech than necessary to further that end" and "broadly prohibits any speech-based services that benefit the prosecutor, regardless of whether those beneficial services relate to an ICC investigation of the United States, Israel, or another U.S. ally."
The order had sanctioned ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan, a British national, placing him on the Treasury Department’s list of sanctioned individuals. US citizens offering services to Khan or others on that list could face civil or criminal penalties.
On Wednesday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) dismissed "Israel's" appeal to revoke the arrest warrants issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Security Minister Yoav Gallant, while also refusing to halt the ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
In its ruling, Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC stated that it had rejected "Israel’s" dual request submitted on May 9, 2025, which included an appeal to withdraw, cancel, or invalidate the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, as well as a demand to halt the prosecutor’s ongoing investigation into the situation in Palestine.
The court dismissed "Israel’s" claim that the ICC lacks jurisdiction over alleged crimes in the Palestinian territories, upholding its earlier rulings while also clarifying that the Appeals Chamber’s April 24, 2025, decision should not be interpreted as weakening the court’s authority in this matter.
Rubio sanctions UN’s Francesca Albanese over ICC push on 'Israel'
Last week, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the imposition of sanctions against Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Human Rights Council's Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, accusing her of launching what he called an “illegitimate and shameful” campaign to push for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations into US and Israeli officials and entities.
In a statement published on X, Rubio declared that Albanese’s efforts constituted “political and economic warfare” against the United States and the Israeli occupation, vowing that such actions would no longer be tolerated.
Today I am imposing sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt @IntlCrimCourt action against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) July 9, 2025
Albanese’s campaign of political and economic…
“Today I am imposing sanctions on UN Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese for her illegitimate and shameful efforts to prompt ICC action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives,” Rubio posted. “We will always stand by our partners in their right to self-defense.”
