International Criminal Court Calls Trump’s Sanctions “Unprecedented”

Home / News / International Criminal Court Calls Trump’s Sanctions “Unprecedented”
In The Hague, it was felt that the head of the White House had made “an unacceptable attempt to intervene in the rule of law.” Trump signed a decree allowing economic sanctions against a number of court members. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Thursday, June 11, harshly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for his decree allowing economic sanctions against ICC members investigating war crimes allegedly involving US soldiers and officers in Afghanistan. “These attacks constitute an escalation and an unacceptable attempt to intervene in the rule of law and legal procedures of the court,” the ICC says. “Unprecedented” sanctions “undermine our common endeavor to fight impunity and ensure accountability for mass atrocities,” the press service of the international criminal justice authority further said. Attacks on the ICC are “an attack on the interests of those who suffered as a result of violent crimes, for many of which the court is the last hope for justice,” the authors of the statement concluded. Asset lockout and US entry ban According to Trump’s decree, assets in the US jurisdiction of individuals who will be identified as participating in the ICC lawsuits against US employees will be blocked. Such individuals will also be prohibited from allocating money. In addition, they and their families will be denied entry to the United States. Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, is investigating alleged war crimes committed in 2003-2014 in Afghanistan. She is trying to find out if Taliban militants, Afghan authorities, US soldiers and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) are involved in them. In March of this year, the ICC approved the investigation. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo already announced the US’s readiness to take “any necessary measures” to “protect its citizens from a kangaroo court.” A year ago, US authorities already imposed entry restrictions for ICC personnel into the United States. Washington does not recognize the International Criminal Court, established in 2002. Afghanistan also refuses to cooperate with the ICC, although it is a member.