US sanctions ICC officials over probe into alleged war crimes

United States of America has imposed sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, over her investigation into wher American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said on September 2. In dition, Phakiso Mochochoko, he of ICC Jurisdiction Complementary and Cooperation Division has also been blacklisted.

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se sanctions, which were authorized by President Donald Trump in June allow ir assets to freezes, in dition, to be subjected to travel bans. Speaking to media reporters, top American diplomat also warned that any “individual” or "entity" who tries to help m both, would expose mselves to risk of getting sanctioned. In dition, he also alleged that ICC was biased towards US.

“Today we take next step because ICC continues to target Americans, sly,” he said alleging ICC of being biased towards US.

'Serious attack on courts' 

ICC deunced that sanctions and said that it stood by work of its staff. In a statement, international organisations asserted that sanctions were just ar attempt at “interfering with court’s judicial and prosecutorial independence” as well as “general rule of law.”

“se coercive acts, directed at an international judicial institution and its civil servants, are unprecedented and constitute serious attacks against court, Rome Statute system of international criminal justice, and rule of law more generally,” it said in a rare joint statement on behalf of entire ICC.

ICC began investigating alleged war crimes committed by US and ors in Afghan conflict earlier this year. According to  ICC's legal process, court can issue arrest warrants or a summons to appear once prosecutors have gared sufficient evidence and identified suspects. From re, y will decide if re is eugh evidence for a case to go to trial.

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