Africa: Hague Court Chief Prosecutor Bensouda's U.S. Visa Denied

Tabu Butagira/Daily Monitor
ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (file photo)
5 April 2019
allAfrica.com

Cape Town — The United States government has withdrawn the entry visa for Fatou Bensouda, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, her office has confirmed.

But the action should not stop her from traveling to the UN headquarters in New York, according to RT.com.

In 2018, US National Security Adviser John Bolton threatened to sanction and prosecute International Criminal Court (ICC) judges if the tribunal attempts to charge US service members and intelligence agents with war crimes over Afghanistan.

Just weeks ago, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "... today, persistent to existing legal authority to post visa restrictions on any alien, quote, 'whose entry or proposed activities in the United States would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences,' end of quote, I'm announcing a policy of U.S. visa restrictions on those individuals directly responsible for any ICC investigation of U.S. personnel.

"But you should know if you're responsible for the proposed ICC investigation of U.S. personnel in connection with the situation in Afghanistan, you should not assume that you will still have or will get a visa, or that you will be permitted to enter the United States."

Pompeo then warned that these "restrictions will not be the end of our efforts. We are prepared to take additional steps..."

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