A US federal judge on Friday blocked the implementation of an executive order by former President Donald Trump targeting International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, Reuters reports, News.bg reports.
The decision is the result of a lawsuit filed in April by two human rights defenders who challenged the February 6 order. It provided for the possibility of economic and visa sanctions against individuals involved in ICC investigations, including those against American citizens or US allies such as Israel.
In her decision, Federal Judge Nancy Thoresen said that the presidential order constituted an unconstitutional restriction on free speech.
“The executive order appears to restrict freedom of speech significantly more than is necessary to achieve its stated purpose“, Thoresen wrote.
According to her, the order “broadly prohibits all services based on statements that are beneficial to the [ICC] prosecutor, regardless of whether those services are related to investigations against the United States, Israel or another ally.“
The order provided for sanctions against ICC prosecutor Karim Khan, who in May 2024 issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The U.S. Treasury Department subsequently added Khan to its list of sanctioned individuals and entities.
Critics of the warrant, including the ICC itself, called it an attempt to intimidate judicial officials and an assault on international justice. Judge Thoresen's decision was hailed by human rights groups as a victory for the rule of law and freedom of expression.