Trump Government Warns Corrupt Judges in Nigeria and Other Countries

The United States government has warned that it will sanction corrupt judges in Nigeria and other countries who abuse human rights or misuse their powers.

This warning came after the U.S. sanctioned Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Wednesday. The U.S. accused Moraes of abusing his position to target political opponents, violate freedom of speech, and approve unfair detentions.

“Let this be a warning to those who would trample on the fundamental rights of their countrymen, judicial robes cannot protect you,” said Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, in a post on social media.

The U.S. government imposed the sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows it to punish individuals involved in serious human rights abuses. Those sanctioned face financial penalties and travel bans.

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President Donald Trump’s administration said Moraes used secret court orders to force social media companies to block certain accounts, silencing people for expressing political views.

“Today, the United States is sanctioning Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes for serious human rights abuse, including arbitrary detention… and violations of the freedom of expression,” said the U.S. Department of State.

The U.S. warned that similar sanctions could be applied to any judicial official, including those in Nigeria, who abuse their power or deny citizens their basic rights.

The Global Magnitsky Act was named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who exposed corruption but died in prison after being tortured in 2009.