War crime investigators threatened with U.S. sanctions
WASHINGTON—In a broadside against the International Criminal Court (ICC), U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday authorized economic and travel sanctions against court workers investigating American troops and intelligence officials and those of allied countries, including Israel, for possible war crimes in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Trump’s executive order was his administration’s latest attack against international organizations, treaties and agreements that don’t hew to U.S. policies. The order would block the financial assets of court employees and bar them and their immediate relatives from entering the United States.
While Israel welcomed the move, there were expressions of concern and condemnation from the United Nations, the European Union and humanrights groups.
The Hague-based court was created in 2002 to prosecute war crimes and crimes of humanity and genocide in places where perpetrators might not otherwise face justice. The court has 123 state parties that recognize its jurisdiction. The U.S. has never been an ICC member.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo denounced the tribunal as a “kangaroo court” that has been unsuccessful and inefficient in its mandate to prosecute war crimes. He said that the U.S. would punish the ICC employees for any investigation or prosecution of Americans in Afghanistan and added that they could also be banned for prosecuting Israelis for alleged abuses against Palestinians.
“It gives us no joy to punish them,” Pompeo said. “But we cannot allow ICC officials and their families to come to the United States to shop and travel and otherwise enjoy American freedoms as these same officials seek to prosecute the defender of those very freedoms.” Pompeo’s comments were echoed by Defence Secretary Mark Esper, Attorney General William Barr and national security adviser Robert O’Brien, who spoke at a State Department announcement of the new measures. Barr announced that the U.S. would investigate possible corruption within the ICC hierarchy that he said raised suspicions that Russia and other adversaries could be interfering in the investigatory process.
Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused the court of fabricating “outlandish charges” against his country, and praised the U.S. for standing up for what he called truth and justice. Thursday’s announcement was the latest action putting the administration at odds with allies in Europe and elsewhere. Since taking office, Trump has withdrawn from the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal and two arms control treaties with Russia.
He has pulled the U.S. out of the UN Human Rights Council and UNESCO, threatened to leave the International Postal Union and announced an end to co-operation with the World Health Organization.
Unlike those treaties and agreements, though, the U.S. has never been an ICC member.
Senior UN and EU officials spoke out against the decision. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Trump’s order “is a matter of serious concern” and he described EU members as “steadfast supporters” of the tribunal.”
Borrell said “it is a key factor in bringing justice and peace,” and that “it must be respected and supported by all nations.”
The UN has “taken note with concern” about reports of Trump’s order, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.