ICC denounces "unacceptable" sanctions announced by the United States

Already engaged in an unprecedented offensive against the International Criminal Court, Donald Trump raised his voice again, Thursday, June 11, by announcing economic sanctions against him to dissuade the jurisdiction from prosecuting American soldiers, suspected of war crimes and of crimes against humanity in Afghanistan. The ICC deplored a "series of unprecedented attacks" which constitute "an unacceptable attempt to undermine the rule of law".

"President Trump has authorized economic sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court who are directly involved in any effort to investigate or charge American soldiers without the consent of the United States," the White House announced. in a press release.

"A phony court," says Mike Pompeo

"We cannot sit idly by while our guys are threatened by a phony court - and we will not," said American Foreign Minister Mike Pompeo. He appeared in front of the cameras with his colleagues from Defense and Justice as well as the Presidential Adviser on National Security, during a show of media force.

In a statement, the President of the Assembly of ICC States Parties, Judge O-Gon Kwon, rejected the sanctions, which "hinder our joint effort to fight impunity and guarantee the implementation of the obligation to report mass atrocities. "

ASP President O-Gon Kwon @ICC_PASP rejects the measures taken against #CPI ⤵ https://t.co/pPHBka7eQN

The Washington measures are a direct response to the March appeal decision by the court in The Hague, the Netherlands, to authorize the investigation of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan. A decision made despite opposition from the Trump administration.

"Unacceptable attempt to undermine the rule of law"

"These are the latest in an unprecedented series of attacks against the ICC, an independent international judicial institution," the court said in a separate statement. "These attacks constitute an escalation and an unacceptable attempt to undermine the rule of law and the court's judicial procedures," she added.

"They are announced for the stated purpose of influencing the actions of ICC officials in the context of independent and objective investigations and impartial court proceedings," she said.

#CPI statement on recent measures announced by the United States⤵
https://t.co/zluY4wJuZc

The investigation desired by the Court's prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, targets, among other things, abuses allegedly committed by American soldiers in the country where the United States has been waging the longest war since 2001 since their history. Allegations of torture have also been made against the CIA.

European Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said the US sanctions decree was "a matter of great concern", and reiterated the "support" of the European Union for the jurisdiction.

"This attack on the ICC aims to deny justice to the victims of serious crimes in Afghanistan, Israel or Palestine," also said Andrea Prasow, of Human Rights Watch. "Countries that support international justice should publicly oppose this blatant attempt at obstruction."

Washington has never ratified the Rome Statute, a treaty that governs the ICC, which came into force in 2002. Since then, 120 countries have ratified it, including Afghanistan.

"The acts of the International Criminal Court constitute an attack on the rights of the American people and threaten to infringe on our national sovereignty," said the White House, further denouncing "corruption" at the "highest levels" of the tribunal. The Hague.

"Politically motivated" and "manipulation" investigations

Washington's fierce opposition also relates to "politically motivated" investigations against Israel, which may be the subject of war crimes investigations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately praised the decision of his "friend" Donald Trump, denouncing a "politicized" court which is conducting "a witch hunt against Israel and the United States" but "turns a blind eye to the worst gravediggers of human rights to the world including the terrorist regime in Iran ".

US Justice Minister Bill Barr tried to justify the decision by accusing "foreign powers like Russia" of "manipulating" the ICC "to serve their own interests". According to the White House adviser for national security, Robert O'Brien, these foreign "manipulations" aim specifically to "encourage" prosecutions against the American soldiers in Afghanistan.

With AFP

The summary of the France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app