Tim Rieser, former senior aide to Senator Leahy who wrote the 2011 amendment mandating information gathering, told the BBC the gateway’s removal meant the State Department was “clearly ignoring the law”.

He added it was a further sign that “the entire human rights architecture” within the department was being “rendered largely ineffective”.

“The United States will find itself supporting foreign security forces that commit heinous crimes even though nothing is done about it,” said Mr Rieser. “As a result there will be less incentive for foreign governments to bring people who commit such crimes to justice.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has overseen a sweeping reorganisation of the State Department involving widespread layoffs and eliminating some offices focused on human rights monitoring. The department this year released a slimmed-down annual human rights report which critics said omitted alleged crimes by US allies but included those by foreign leaders the Trump administration opposes.