US imposes sanctions on two ICC judges after rejecting Israeli challenge in war crimes case – JURIST

The US government on Friday announced sanctions on two judges from the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court, Gocha Lordkipanidze of Georgia and Erdenebalsuren Damdin of Mongolia, due to their “illegitimate targeting of Israel.” The sanctions bar any sanctioned individual from entry into the US, including their family members, and block any assets in the US.

In a press statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited the sanctions in accordance with Executive Order 14203 titled, “Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court.” The order established that any non-American person or organization can be sanctioned if they engage directly in an effort of the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute a “protected person” without the consent of that person’s country of nationality. In this case, Rubio described the conduct of both judges as fitting these stipulations, stating, “These individuals 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.”

On December 15, the ICC rejected Israel’s legal challenge to the court, which requested that Israel be issued a new notification by the court accounting for the events following the October 7 attacks. The court rejected this appeal on the basis that a previous notification in 2021 took into account future events. Both Lordkipanidze and Damdin voted in favor of the rejection of this appeal.

Friday marks the third round of sanctions enacted by the Trump administration in connection with the Israel-Gaza conflict. In February 2025, the administration placed a sanction on the then-chief prosecutor of the ICC, Karim Khan. In June 2025, sanctions were further expanded to four judges: Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz Del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru), Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou (Benin), and Beti Hohler (Slovenia). Most recently, in August 2025, sanctions were placed on judges Kimberly Prost (Canada) and Nicolas Guillou (France) and deputy judges Nazhat Shameem Khan (Fiji) and Mame Mandiaye Niang (Senegal). 

Critique of Friday’s sanctions has been expressed by the Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties, describing the measures as “regrettable attempts to impede the Court and its personnel in the exercise of their independent judicial functions in full conformity with the Rome Statute.” The Assembly of States Parties serves as the ICC’s governing body, bringing together delegates from States that are party to the Rome Statute. Former sanctions also imposed by the US regarding Israel against the ICC have been described by Human Rights Watch as putting “justice at risk.”

The Trump Administration’s response to the court was articulated again by Rubio in his recent press report on the Friday sanctions. Rubio stated, “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.”