International Criminal Court urges Chad and Venezuela to reverse withdrawal
The Assembly of States Parties, the governing body of the International Criminal Court (ICC), has urged Chad and Venezuela to reconsider their decisions to withdraw from the institution. The body expressed concern that these departures could weaken global efforts to combat impunity.
Chad announced its withdrawal on July 27, citing an uneven record that it claims is biased against Africa. The government noted that out of seven suspects in ICC custody, six are linked to African cases. Venezuela, which announced its withdrawal on July 25, similarly accused the court of geographic bias against Africa and Latin America.
These moves occur during a significant period of attrition for the court. Other nations, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, have also signaled intentions to leave. This wave of exits follows sustained pressure from the United States, which has actively campaigned to limit the tribunal's power, specifically regarding investigations into actions in Afghanistan and the ICC arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Under the Rome Statute, a withdrawal requires one year to formally register and does not absolve a state of obligations incurred during its membership, nor does it halt ongoing investigations, such as the current probe into crimes against humanity in Venezuela.
Entities: Assembly of States Parties · Chad · International Criminal Court · United States · Venezuela
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 9 SOURCES] Venezuela announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC on July 25. (Venezuela)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Under the Rome Statute, a withdrawal from the ICC takes one year to formally register. (Rome Statute)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Existing ICC investigations, such as the one in Venezuela, continue even if a country withdraws. (International Criminal Court)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Chad accused the ICC of geographic bias, noting that six of the seven suspects in ICC custody are linked to African cases. (Chad)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Chad announced its intention to withdraw from the ICC on July 27. (Chad)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The U.S. administration has campaigned to reduce the power of the ICC. (United States)
- [● 9 SOURCES] Venezuela accused the ICC of geographic bias against Africa and Latin America. (Venezuela)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Assembly of States Parties expressed concern regarding the withdrawal decisions of Chad and Venezuela. (Assembly of States Parties)