THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A prosecution lawyer says International Criminal Court judges overstepped their powers when they refused to authorize an investigation into allegations of widespread abuses by government forces, the Taliban and U.S. military and intelligence operatives during the Afghanistan conflict.

But a lawyer representing Afghanistan at an ICC appeals hearing has countered by saying that Afghanistan opposes an international investigation and should be allowed to prosecute war criminals in its own court.

They were speaking Thursday on the second day of a hearing into the ICC prosecution office’s appeal against an April decision by a pretrial chamber to reject a proposed investigation in Afghanistan.

The high-stakes hearing at the Hague-based court is focused on a proposed investigation that could for lead the first time to ICC indictments against Americans.