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US revokes ICC prosecutor's visa over Afghanistan inquiry
Source: The Guardian
US revokes ICC prosecutor's visa over Afghanistan inquiry
Fatou Bensouda wants to open investigation into alleged war crimes, including by US troops
Patrick Wintour and Owen Bowcott
Fri 5 Apr 2019 13.57 BST First published on Fri 5 Apr 2019 10.48 BST
The US has revoked the visa of the international criminal court’s chief prosecutor in response to her intention to investigate potential war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan.
A statement from the office of Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian national, said she would continue to pursue her duties for the court, in The Hague, “without fear or favour” and said that she would continue to travel to the US.
Last month, the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, announced restrictions on any ICC staff who investigated US or allied personnel, in a hardening of America’s policy of non-cooperation with the ICC.
The US has refused to recognise the ICC since its inception in 2002, weakening the court’s authority and providing an excuse for other countries, most notably in Africa, to also pull their support. In 2017, Burundi became the first nation to leave the ICC.
Pompeo’s move came as he delivered another snub to multilateralism by refusing to attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France on Friday.
-snip-
Fatou Bensouda wants to open investigation into alleged war crimes, including by US troops
Patrick Wintour and Owen Bowcott
Fri 5 Apr 2019 13.57 BST First published on Fri 5 Apr 2019 10.48 BST
The US has revoked the visa of the international criminal court’s chief prosecutor in response to her intention to investigate potential war crimes by US soldiers in Afghanistan.
A statement from the office of Fatou Bensouda, a Gambian national, said she would continue to pursue her duties for the court, in The Hague, “without fear or favour” and said that she would continue to travel to the US.
Last month, the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, announced restrictions on any ICC staff who investigated US or allied personnel, in a hardening of America’s policy of non-cooperation with the ICC.
The US has refused to recognise the ICC since its inception in 2002, weakening the court’s authority and providing an excuse for other countries, most notably in Africa, to also pull their support. In 2017, Burundi became the first nation to leave the ICC.
Pompeo’s move came as he delivered another snub to multilateralism by refusing to attend a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France on Friday.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/apr/05/us-revokes-visa-of-international-criminal-courts-top-prosecutor
