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"Measures hinder the international effort to ensure that atrocious crimes do not go unpunished," the ICC assured.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) Thursday rejected sanctions announced by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, which seek to force the international body to abandon an investigation into possible U.S. war crimes in Afghanistan.
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"These measures are unprecedented and hinder the international effort to ensure that atrocious crimes do not go unpunished," the ICC stated.
Washington's new threats "affect mainly the atrocious crimes' victims. They have in the Court the last hope for justice," ICC Assembly of States Parties' president O-Gon Kwon added.
Trump made the decision under the pretext that the investigation into possible U.S. crimes in Afghanistan is being carried out by an organization of dubious integrity.
The authorization of sanctions against the ICC comes amid Trump administration anger over the ICC’s efforts to look into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan. ICC judges authorized a probe into the alleged misdeeds in March. https://t.co/fvUGMP3kcA
— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) June 11, 2020
He also accused Russia of being involved in the investigation and considered the ICC to be a threat to U.S. sovereignty.
The executive order approved by Washington authorizes economic sanctions against the ICC officials and approves visa restrictions.
It also allows the blocking of property these employees may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
This is the latest clash between the ICC and Washington. The relationship has been tense since the international court opened an investigation in 2017 into the Afghanistan war.
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