International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda’s visa has been revoked by the USA meaning she cannot be allowed in the US.
United Nations human rights experts called the reaction “improper interference” in the work of the world’s permanent war crimes court. It also drew criticism from within the European Union.
BREAKING: United States government revokes visa of Fatou Bensouda, an International Criminal Court prosecutor investigating alleged US war crimes in Afghanistan.— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) April 4, 2019
“We can confirm that the U.S. authorities have revoked the prosecutor’s visa for entry into the U.S.,” Bensouda’s office told Reuters in an e-mail.
The decision is thought to be the US response to Ms Bensouda’s investigation into possible war crimes by American forces and their allies in Afghanistan.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “If you’re responsible for the proposed ICC investigation of US personnel in connection with the situation in Afghanistan, you should not assume that you will still have or get a visa, or that you will be permitted to enter the United States.
“We’re prepared to take additional steps, including economic sanctions if the ICC does not change its course,” he added.
The US, which has been critical of the ICC since it was established, is among dozens of nations not to have joined the court.
It said it understood the move should not impact Bensouda’s travel to the U.S. to meet her United Nations obligations.
The ICC is not a U.N. court, but Bensouda travels regularly to brief the U.N. Security Council on cases referred to The Hague by the UN body.
A State Department spokesman said members of international organizations planning official travel to the U.N. could apply for diplomatic visas. “We recommend that applicants apply as early as possible to maximize the chances of being found eligible,” the spokesman said.
The U.S. in not a member of the ICC, along with other major powers Russia and China.
The office of the prosecutor said on Thursday that Bensouda would exercise her duties “without fear or favor”.
She has been investigating alleged war crimes by all parties in the conflict in Afghanistan since November 2017, including the possible role of U.S. personnel in relation to the detention of suspects.