Judge Blocks U.S. Sanctions Against Groups Helping ICC

A federal judge has stopped the U.S. government from penalizing organizations that assist the International Criminal Court’s war crimes investigation.

A U.S. judge has stepped in to stop the government from punishing groups that work with the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC is the court that investigates the world’s most serious crimes, like war crimes. Recently, the U.S. government had placed sanctions on two groups that were helping the ICC look into issues related to the war in Gaza. Sanctions are essentially official penalties, like blocking access to money or trade, meant to pressure people or groups. Now, a judge has decided that these sanctions cannot move forward for the time being. This move comes as the ICC is under…