Lawyers, Professors Sue Trump Administration Over ICC Sanctions
A group of human rights lawyers and law professors sued the Trump administration over its sanctions against the International Criminal Court, saying the measures violate freedom of speech laws and the U.S. Constitution. The group said the sanctions (see 2009300003) -- which the administration said are designed to target ICC officials for “harassment” and “abuse” of U.S. government officials (see 2006110028) -- will affect worldwide support for international justice.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
“By issuing this outrageous order, the Trump administration has betrayed Washington’s long-standing support for international justice, snubbed its allies, and violated the U.S. constitution,” James Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, said Oct. 1. Open Society filed the lawsuit that day along with law professors Diane Marie Amann, Gabor Rona, Milena Sterio and Margaret deGuzman. “We are going to court to end this reckless assault on a judicial institution and the victims it serves.”
The suit names President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Office of Foreign Assets Control Director Andrea Gacki and Attorney General William Barr as defendants. The plaintiffs asked the court to temporarily prevent the administration from enforcing the sanctions until the lawsuit is settled.
In July, more than 170 lawyers and legal scholars urged Trump to rescind the sanctions (see 2007010008). The ICC called the sanctions “unacceptable” and criticized the U.S. for trying to influence the actions of ICC officials (see 2006120009).
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the lawsuit.