UN concerned about imposition of US sanctions on international criminal court
SANAA, June 12 (YPA) – Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General, said that the organization issued previous statements stressing that “any restrictions taken by the host country of the United Nations should be consistent with the Headquarters Treaty.”
“We are concerned by the news related to the American executive decision that permits the imposition of sanctions against members of the International Criminal Court, and we will continue to closely follow any developments related to this case,” Dujarric added.
He pointed out that “the United Nations Secretariat will consider any possible repercussions of this US decision on the application of the host country treaty.”
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump issued an order to “impose sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court, due to court decisions to open an investigation for violations of human rights and war crimes, and another against humanity in Afghanistan, which includes an investigation into Violations by the American forces.
In a statement, the White House said that the US President authorized the imposition of sanctions against any International Criminal Court official investigating or being charged with US military personnel, “without Washington’s consent.”
“The International Criminal Court wants to investigate allegations of crimes committed by US soldiers in Afghanistan,” said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, adding that “Americans cannot be tried and arrested by the International Criminal Court.”
Pompeo considered that “the criminal court is politicized,” saying that “Israel is a close friend of ours and the International Criminal Court cannot prosecute those who defend themselves.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the “opportunity of US President Donald Trump to allow sanctions against officials of the International Criminal Court.”
Netanyahu claimed that the International Criminal Court in The Hague practiced “hunting witches” against “Israel” and the United States, and “other democracies that respect human rights.”
The International Criminal Court in The Hague had previously confirmed that the Israeli defamation campaigns targeting its neutrality “will not affect the course of the investigation on Palestine.”
Commenting on the US decision, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter that the International Criminal Court is now “blackmailed” by “an outlaw gang pretending as diplomats,” in reference to the US administration.