US-based rights groups sue Trump admin over ICC sanctions
Four U.S. Human Rights Groups Sue Trump Administration Over ICC Sanctions
NEW YORK — Four U.S.-based human rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, claiming it has unlawfully enacted sanctions against individuals and organizations connected to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The lawsuit, submitted on August 11 in the Southern District of New York, involves the American Friends Service Committee, Center for Constitutional Rights, Human Rights Watch, and Open Society Institute. The plaintiffs are contesting an executive order issued by President Donald Trump that permits sanctions against ICC officials, judges, and others associated with the Hague-based court.
The organizations characterize the sanctions as an “illegal attack” on international justice, asserting that they impede vital human rights and legal work. They point out that the sanctions infringe upon provisions of the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
According to the lawsuit, which challenges sanctions imposed on February 6, 2025, the president has overstepped his authority, and the sanctions are based on what the plaintiffs describe as a fabricated national emergency. Lead counsel Andrew Loewenstein stated that the collective action illustrates how the executive order disrupts efforts to hold perpetrators of serious crimes accountable.
“The plaintiffs are seeking an end to these sanctions, which transgress the president’s authority and violate international and U.S. law, including rights to freedom of expression and religion,” Loewenstein said.
Joyce Ajlouny, General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, called the U.S. government’s actions an affront to victims and survivors of war crimes and genocide. “We are joining this lawsuit because we refuse to stay silent when the pursuit of justice is criminalized,” Ajlouny explained, adding that the executive order seeks to intimidate human rights defenders.
Liz Evenson of Human Rights Watch stressed that the organizations aim to defend international justice from these attacks and urged governments to support the ICC and its advocates.
The Trump administration’s sanctions extend to ICC prosecutors, eight ICC judges, the UN Special Rapporteur for the Palestinian Territory, and three Palestinian human rights organizations. Recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a campaign to dismantle the ICC, criticizing its attempts to prosecute U.S. officials and servicemen while encouraging member nations to withdraw from the court.
