The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine is suing the Trump administration on behalf of two human rights advocates, including one based in Maine.
The suit, filed jointly with the national ACLU, says the Trump administration's sanctions against the International Criminal Court violate the First Amendment by prohibiting advocates from communicating with the Court.
One of the plaintiffs, Matthew Smith, is a Maine resident and co-founder of the group Fortify Rights, which investigates human rights violations in Southeast Asia.
In a statement, Smith said the sanctions have forced his group to stop helping the ICC investigate torture, human trafficking, and other crimes in Myanmar, which he said "actively undermines international justice efforts."
The ACLU filed a similar lawsuit in 2020 during the first Trump administration.
The Trump administration announced the new sanctions against the ICC in February, citing the court's arrest warrants for the Israeli prime minister and defense minister as a "abuse of power."
The ICC was established by the international community, including the United States, more than 35 years ago to help maintain international peace and security.
