Jun 13, 2020, 1:06 PM

Intimidating ICC members shows Trump team’s anti-human rights spirit: Vaezi

Intimidating ICC members shows Trump team’s anti-human rights spirit: Vaezi

TEHRAN, Jun. 13 (MNA) – Iranian President's Chief of Staff Mahmoud Vaezi says slapping sanctions on International Criminal Court (ICC) personnel by US President Donald Trump shows the US administration’s anti-human rights spirit.

Addressing Trump in a tweet on Saturday, Vaezi said, “The intimidation of judges and staff of the International Court of Justice in The Hague through the unethical manner of sanctions shows the White House's anti-justice and anti-human rights spirit."

"The ineffectiveness of these sanctions has been proven for years by the perseverance of the Iranian people," he added.

Trump has authorized sanctions and additional visa restrictions against ICC members probing whether American forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan.

In the latest attempt by the Trump administration to force the Hague-based tribunal out of the investigation into potential war crimes by US military and intelligence officials in the Asian country, Trump issued an executive order on Thursday, saying that the United States would block all American property and assets of anyone in the ICC involved in the probe.

Rights activists slammed Trump's executive order. Human Rights Watch said that Trump's order "demonstrates contempt for the global rule of law."

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda wants to investigate possible crimes committed between 2003 and 2014 including alleged mass killings of civilians by the Taliban, as well as US troops and members of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The ICC investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan was given the go-ahead in March.

The US invaded Afghanistan to overthrow a ruling Taliban regime in 2001. American forces have since remained bogged down in the country through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.

About 2,400 US soldiers have been killed, along with unknown tens of thousands of Afghan troops, Taliban militants and Afghan civilians.

America has spent more than $1 trillion on fighting in Afghanistan.

Fighting has continued ever since -- last year more than 3,400 civilians were killed and almost 7,000 injured, according to data provided by UN agencies.

Over 100,000 Afghans have also been killed or injured since 2009, when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.

MR4948120

News ID 159739

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