Trump's Executive Order against the International Criminal Court
Executive Order on Blocking Property Of Certain Persons Associated With The International Criminal Court (June, 11, 2020)
On Thursday 11 June, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at a press conference that the United States has decided to impose economic sanctions and travel restrictions on the Prosecutor and other officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The measure was taken by means of an Executive Order signed by President Donald Trump on the same day. After threatening the move for months now, Trump wanted to react to the opening of investigations by the ICC Prosecutor on serious crimes committed in Afghanistan from 2002 onwards, which also see US soldiers and CIA officials suspected of having committed atrocities, including torture and other war crimes, against Afghan civilians.
Trump's measures against The Hague Court officials are normally reserved for those responsible for serious human rights violations and the worst offenders. In this way, paradoxically, Trump is trying to pass those who want to investigate and prosecute as war criminals: a clumsy and unprecedented attempt that immediately triggered unanimous international condemnation.
The language of the Presidential Order is also extremely vague and its scope is so wide that it makes potential recipients of US sanctions - in addition to Court officials - even organizations and those who work or collaborate with the Court (including victims' lawyers, or the victims themselves).
For a more extensive comment, please refer to what already published in Sistema Penale:https://sistemapenale.it/it/scheda/executive-order-di-trump-contro-la-corte-penale-internazionale