U.S. Sanctions ICC Employees over Afghanistan Case [1]
On June 11, 2020, the Trump administration announced a series of sanctions against employees of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The travel restrictions and economic sanctions were established by an Executive Order [3] in response to the ICC's decision [4] to authorize an investigation into the situation in Afghanistan and crimes alleged to have been committed on its territory since May 1, 2003 (including other alleged crimes that are sufficiently linked to Afghanistan, but committed elsewhere since July 1, 2002). The Executive Order states that the ICC investigation "threaten[s] to infringe upon the sovereignty of the United States and impede the critical national security and foreign policy work of United States Government and allied officials, and thereby threaten[s] the national security and foreign policy of the United States." Sections 1 and 3 of the Order governs restrictions on property and interests in property within U.S. territory or control with respect to persons associated with the ICC; section 2 prohibits donations "by, to, or for the benefit" of such persons; section 4 imposes travel restrictions on such persons.