Trump administration imposes sanctions on four ICC judges in unprecedented move

By Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie van den Berg

WASHINGTON/THE HAGUE (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Thursday imposed sanctions on four judges at the International Criminal Court, an unprecedented retaliation over the war tribunal's investigation into alleged war crimes by U.S. troops in Afghanistan and over the court's issuance of an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Washington designated Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin, and Beti Hohler of Slovenia, according to a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel. The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies," Rubio said.

The ICC did not immediately have comment.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk and Stephanie Van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch in the Hague ; Editing by Leslie Adler and Matthew Lewis)