Posted on 08/16/2025 1:15:12 PM PDT by ransomnote
A federal judge in Maine on Friday barred the Trump administration from enforcing sanctions on two U.S. citizens and human rights advocates who work with the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On April 11, Matthew Smith and Akila Radhakrishnan, a human rights nonprofit leader and lawyer, respectively, filed a 39-page lawsuit against President Donald Trump and several other members of his administration over an executive order that imposes sanctions on the ICC, prohibits certain interactions with designated ICC officials, and threatens both civil and criminal penalties for any such violations.
The lawsuit was premised on the idea that the sanctions "violate their First Amendment rights, and those of others like them, by prohibiting their constitutionally protected speech." The plaintiffs, in late April, requested a preliminary injunction barring the government "from imposing civil or criminal penalties on them" for "provision of speech-based services" to the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor (OTP).
Now, U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen, a Barack Obama appointee, has granted that requested relief in a 16-page order.
"[T]he Executive Order appears to burden substantially more speech than necessary," the judge wrote. "Accordingly, the Plaintiffs have established likely success on the merits of their First Amendment challenge."
The government argued Trump's order advanced a "compelling" and "important" interest in "protecting the personnel of the United States and its allies from investigation, arrest, detention, and prosecution by the ICC without the consent of the United States or its allies."
(Excerpt) Read more at lawandcrime.com ...
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In Executive Order 14203, "Imposing Sanctions on the International Criminal Court," Trump said he was motivated by the ICC's "illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and [its] close ally Israel."
If an invading army arrived at our border, any democrap judge would issue an order they not be impeded as it would violate their right to travel.
It’s free speech to work for terrorists?
Under this opinion I suspect you should get the same outcome over anything.
The Constitution is accurately applied as written and originally understood and intended.
In this case, speech used in communication with a foreign entity, which is not the original intent of the first amendment free speech. The original intent is to prohibit the feds from abridging free speech of an individual against the federal gov’t, not of an individual in communication with a foreign organization!
This unconstitutional decision should be appealed.
just declare the International Criminal Court a terrorist organization and that’ll fix the problem ...
Probably would.
Great analogy.
Judges benefit from our free system but sell us out for their leftist personal biases at a moment’s notice.
My personal estimate is 20% of judges are worth saving.
like those on J6?????
Oh, the ‘icc’. Owwwwwwwwww! The can f caw f.
Are criminal acts, or acts of treason considered free speech?
The Constitution is accurately applied as written and originally understood and intended.
In this case, speech used in communication with a foreign entity, which is not the original intent of the first amendment free speech. The original intent is to prohibit the feds from abridging free speech of an individual against the federal gov’t, not of an individual in communication with a foreign organization!
This unconstitutional decision should be appealed.
- - - -
Foreign-sympathizing judge appointed by a foreign-sympathizing (BO) “president.”
Makes no sense. Our President has not prevented them from speaking at all. He has sanctioned, ie there are consequences, to the anti-American speaking, but they are still free to continue on.
What an American Name that second name is.
"just declare the International Criminal Court a terrorist organization and that’ll fix the problem ..."
Another ditzy “Dipstick Judge” working for the Party of Death and Destruction.
...The sanctions target judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia.
“As ICC judges, these four individuals have actively engaged in the ICC’s illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel,” Rubio said in a statement. “The ICC is politicized and falsely claims unfettered discretion to investigate, charge, and prosecute nationals of the United States and our allies. This dangerous assertion and abuse of power infringes upon the sovereignty and national security of the United States and our allies, including Israel....
The nonprofit in the article is Fortify Rights
Matthew Smith’s prior experience includes roles at Human Rights Watch, EarthRights International, and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights, as well as community organizing and social work.
Founded Fortify Rights in 2013 with Amy S. Smith, focused primarily on SE Asia, registered in the US and Switzerland. Organization’s activity level spiked c2017.
Critique of Fortify Rights’ research. (I don’t know the cred of the source either ) :
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