[News] Furious at Probe Into US War Crimes Pompeo Threatens ICC Staff

[Anti-Imperialist News]

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Furious-at-Probe-Into-US-War-Crimes-Pompeo-Threatens-ICC-Staff-20200318-0024.html?fbclid=IwAR3VeRlHBgp0DhFcE2mR_NSa0ZJW703gcHUpD3GAkzt3ybcV8aFtPiN6xW4
Furious
at Probe Into US War Crimes Pompeo Threatens ICC Staff
March 18, 2020
------------------------------

Amnesty International condemned Wednesday United States Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo's comments threatening the International Criminal Court (ICC)
's staff and their family members for investigating alleged war crimes
committed by the U.S. in Afghanistan.

"Threats against family members of ICC staff who are seeking justice is a
new low, even for this administration," said Amnesty International USA's
advocacy director Daniel Balson.

The court had announced at the beginning of this month that a probe into
alleged U.S. crimes could resume after the court's Pre-Trial Chamber
previously halted it. The news infuriated the Trump administration, which
had been attempting to quash the investigation.

"We oppose any effort by the ICC to exercise jurisdiction over U.S.
personnel," Pompeo told reporters. "We will not tolerate its inappropriate
and unjust attempts to investigate or prosecute Americans."

The secretary of state then suggested that retaliatory actions would be
taken.

"We want to identify those responsible for this partisan investigation and
their family members who may want to travel to the United States or engage
in activity that's inconsistent with making sure we protect Americans," he
said.

Balson said the Trump administration was proving it was not interested in
achieving justice.

The fact that Pompeo is mentioning retaliation on families of ICC staff "is
an ominous move," said Balson.

"If there remained any doubt that the Trump administration's hostility
towards the court is fundamentally punitive and callous in nature," he
added, "these doubts have now been dispelled."

"Instead of pursuing the torturers, the U.S. is condemning the
investigators and even their families."

The ICC started its functions in 2002 to prosecute individuals for the
international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and
crimes of aggression. The U.S., as well as Israel, have refused to sign up
to the court.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20200319/77a7269a/attachment.htm>