UN Human Rights Chief concerned over U.S. sanctions on ICC judges

GENEVA, June 6 (KUNA) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk voiced Friday deep disturbance by the U.S. decision to sanction International Criminal Court (ICC) judges, specifically four women judges from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda.
Those judges had been part of rulings in the situations in Afghanistan or in the State of Palestine.
In a statement issued from Geneva, Turk said, "Attacks against judges for performance of their judicial functions at national or international levels run directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law - values for which the U.S. has long stood." He added that such attacks are deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice calling for the prompt reconsideration and withdrawal of these latest measures. (end) imk.mt