US revokes visa of the ICC prosecutor

The United States has revoked the visa of the Prosecutor to the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, for entry into the United States.

A response to a SABC News enquiry read as follows: “We can confirm that US authorities have revoked the Prosecutor’s visa for entry into the US”.

The note continues that it’s their understanding that the decision should have no impact on Fatou Bensouda’s travel to the United States to meet her obligations to the UN in New York, including her regular briefings to the Security Council.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in March warned that Washington would impose visa restrictions on persons responsible for the pursuit of any probe against the country at the International Criminal Court.

The move was seen as an attempt by the administration of President Donald Trump to put the brakes on a preliminary investigation launched by the ICC Prosecutor in 2017 into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan since May 2003.

The U.S. is not a member of the Court but Afghanistan joined in 2003.

Just in: We can confirm that the ICC Prosecutor’s visa for entry to the USA has been revoked after Secretary of State Michael Pompeo threatened to do so last month- against any person pursuing investigations against United States at the Court. Note from The Hague here #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/DSuuBQGFof

— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) April 4, 2019

ICC President calls on U.S. leadership to support the Court and to “join their closest Allies and Friends at the Rome Statute table”. https://t.co/z8OVNZ9BT9 #sabcnews

— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) April 4, 2019