The International Bar Association (IBA) condemns the imposition of sanctions by the United States on International Criminal Court (ICC or 'the Court') judges Gocha Lordkipanidze and Erdenebalsuren Damdin, and calls on all States Parties to take concrete actions to protect the Court and its officials. With the imposition of these new sanctions, the US has now imposed sanctions on eight of the 18 ICC judges.
IBA Executive Director Dr Mark Ellis asserted: 'The IBA condemns these coercive actions against the Court, which represent yet another threat to the international rules-based order. Driven by political motives and an apparent desire to punish ICC judges for decisions it dislikes, the Trump administration continues to deploy unilateral sanctions - a blatant effort to obstruct the prosecution of egregious international crimes.'
On 18 December 2025, the US administration designated Judge Lordkipanidze and Judge Damdin for 'having directly engaged in efforts by the ICC to investigate, arrest, detain, or prosecute Israeli nationals, without Israel's consent'. In a decision issued on 15 December 2025 by the ICC Appeals Chamber, the majority of the Appeals Chamber rejected Israel's request to overturn an earlier Pre-Trial Chamber decision and, for the arrest warrants against the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and the former Minister of Defense of Israel, Yoav Gallant to be declared null and void. Judge Damdin joined the majority, while Judge Lordkipanidze issued a concurring opinion.
Sanctions against Judge Lordkipanidze and Judge Damdin follow the designations under Executive Order 14203 of other ICC officials including the ICC Prosecutor, the ICC Deputy Prosecutors, six ICC Judges, as well as a UN Special Rapporteur, and three civil society organisations cooperating with the Court.
The IBA has consistently condemned sanctions against the ICC, its staff and officials, and those cooperating with it as an unacceptable attack on the legal profession and the rule of law globally.
