Judge Blocks Trump ICC Sanctions Over Free Speech

A U.S. federal judge has blocked enforcement of former President Donald Trump’s executive order imposing sanctions on individuals working with the International Criminal Court (ICC), ruling it violated First Amendment protections by overly restricting speech. The order, issued in February, targeted those involved in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or allies, including Israel, and authorized broad economic and travel penalties. The lawsuit was brought by human rights advocates Matthew Smith and Akila Radhakrishnan, who argued the sanctions unconstitutionally limited their work. The sanctions specifically targeted ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan and threatened Americans assisting sanctioned ICC officials with civil and criminal penalties. The ICC and rights groups have condemned the order as an attempt to undermine the court’s independence. The ruling has been welcomed by rights organizations.