Legal Challenge Filed Against Sanctions Undermining International Human Rights Justice

For decades, human rights advocates have been essential in exposing and seeking accountability for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. These individuals often face significant personal danger while working in conflict zones and authoritarian regimes to uphold justice.

The organization I co-founded and currently lead, Fortify Rights, has been actively engaged in these efforts for over 12 years. Our investigations focus on grave violations in Asia, particularly mass killings, sexual violence, and torture in Myanmar. We regularly provide evidence to the International Criminal Court’s Office of the Prosecutor, which is examining potential crimes against the Rohingya ethnic group.

However, our mission is now imperiled, not by Myanmar’s oppressive military regime, but due to actions taken by the current U.S. administration.

On February 6, an executive order was issued imposing sanctions that directly target the International Criminal Court (ICC). Released amidst a wave of controversial policy changes, this order has largely escaped widespread attention but poses a serious threat to global justice efforts addressing the most egregious human rights violations.

The executive order specifically sanctions the ICC’s chief prosecutor and prohibits providing any 'services' to the prosecutor’s office, with penalties including fines and imprisonment. This punitive approach has already created a chilling effect within the human rights community, hindering collaboration such as sharing evidence and coordinating witness testimonies, crucial for the ICC’s work and organizations like ours.

This order infringes on constitutional protections, including my First Amendment rights as an American. Consequently, with legal representation from the American Civil Liberties Union, I have initiated a federal lawsuit to contest this executive action.