United States sanctions the CPI prosecutor, Karim Khan

The United States confirmed that the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (CPI), Karim Khan, is the first person affected by the sanctions imposed by the then US president, Donald Trump.

As reported by the EFE agency, Khan’s name was included in an annex of the executive order signed by Trump last week, aimed at sanctioning CPI officials.

This decision occurred after the ICC issued arrest orders against Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, for alleged war crimes in Gaza.

The sanctions imply the freezing of assets in the United States and the prohibition of entry into the country both for the sanctioned and for their families (spouses and children).

CPI’s response

The International Criminal Court (ICC) rejected the appointment of prosecutor Karim Khan as a goal of sanctions by the Donald Trump government.

In addition, the ICC said that it will continue to fulfill its judicial mandate, regardless of the sanctions imposed by the United States.

«The Court is committed to continuing to exercise its judicial mandate for the benefit of millions of innocent victims of atrocities,» said the ICC in a statement.

Trump’s executive order also criticized the CPI for establishing an «unacceptable moral equivalence» by issuing arrest orders against Israeli leaders and a Hamas commander simultaneously.

According to an informative document of the White House, this action is considered a threat to the sovereignty of the United States and its foreign policy.

The measure has been supported by some sectors that consider that the CPI has exceeded its powers, but has also been criticized by those who defend the independence and integrity of the international court.