Three judges currently serving on the International Criminal Court (ICC) filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump, arguing that the penalties are unlawful and exceed the administration’s legal authority, according to Reuters.

The case, filed in federal court in Manhattan, was brought by ICC judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin.

In their complaint, the judges contend that the sanctions were not a legitimate exercise of executive power but rather an effort to intimidate members of the court and pressure them into changing their judicial conduct through measures imposed outside the normal legal process.

The White House, the Treasury Department, and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment following the filing of the lawsuit.

The legal dispute stems from sanctions the Trump administration imposed last year after the Hague-based court approved an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The sanctions also related to the ICC’s separate investigation into allegations of war crimes involving US military personnel in Afghanistan.

According to the lawsuit, the sanctions have far-reaching financial consequences because major international banks must comply with US sanctions rules if they conduct business in US dollars or maintain operations in the United States. As a result, those targeted face severe restrictions on access to routine banking and financial services.

The judges also argue that the administration improperly relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), asserting that the ICC’s judicial decisions do not constitute the type of extraordinary national security threat required under the law to justify such sanctions.

In addition, the plaintiffs maintain that the sanctions have directly interfered with their judicial responsibilities by preventing them from receiving legal submissions and reviewing evidence in both current and future cases before the court.

{Matzav.com}