UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 The U.S. sanctioned the International Criminal Court鈥檚 chief prosecutor Thursday, following up on President Donald Trump鈥檚 order last week targeting the court over its investigations of Israel.
The prosecutor, Karim Khan, was added Thursday to Washington鈥檚 list of 鈥淪pecially Designated 春色直播s and Blocked Persons.鈥 Those on the list are barred from doing business with Americans and face restrictions on entry to the U.S.
The Hague-based court is tasked with prosecuting war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The U.S. never has recognized the ICC's authority, and Trump has criticized the court for years. His first administration , Fatou Bensouda, and the Biden administration subsequently lifted those sanctions.
After returning to office last month, Trump signed a Feb. 6 . He accused the court of 鈥渋llegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel," citing the ICC's arrest warrant for and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza. They deny the accusations, and Netanyahu has called the warrant 鈥渁bsurd.鈥
Trump's order foreshadowed 鈥渢angible and significant consequences鈥 for those responsible for the court鈥檚 鈥渢ransgressions.鈥 Khan was seen as a likely figure.
The court鈥檚 president has , and United Nations deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq on Thursday called the ICC 鈥渁 fundamental pillar of international justice.鈥
The court is independent, but the U.N. was instrumental in creating it, and the ICC鈥檚 top prosecutor sometimes briefs the U.N. Security Council.
The Trump administration didn鈥檛 immediately say whether Khan would be allowed to travel to the U.N. headquarters in New York.
Meanwhile, the court's oversight body has asked a allegations that Khan tried to coerce a female aide into a sexual relationship and groped her against her will, according to . He has said there's 鈥渘o truth鈥 to the claim.
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Hussein reported from Washington.
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This story has been corrected to show that Trump鈥檚 executive order was dated Feb. 6, not Feb. 7.
