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Strict sanctions... Trump signs a decree to create a blacklist of major countries
Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed a historic decree to establish a "blacklist" of countries that detain American citizens unlawfully. This step comes as part of Washington’s efforts to impose severe sanctions on those responsible for these violations.
This list, whose included countries have not yet been announced by the Trump administration, is derived from the U.S. Department of State’s list of countries that support terrorism, which is usually subject to broad financial sanctions.
A senior official close to the administration, who requested anonymity, stated that China, Iran, and Afghanistan might be among the potential countries on the list due to their "repeated involvement in hostage diplomacy," according to his words.
On Friday, the official told the media: "Today, we set a clear red line: you cannot use Americans as bargaining chips, or face severe consequences."
Under this new decree, countries listed will face sanctions, and officials involved in arbitrary detentions will be barred from entering the United States.
The State Department can also, according to the decree, prohibit American citizens from traveling to the listed countries, aiming to protect them from legal and humanitarian risks.
In a related context, Washington is currently banning travel to North Korea, following the case of Otto Warmbier, who was detained for a year and a half before being released in a coma and dying shortly after returning to the United States. This incident highlighted the suffering of Americans detained abroad.
