The United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela called on the Venezuelan government July 27 to reverse its decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court (ICC), warning that leaving the ICC would weaken accountability for serious human rights violations and limit victims' access to justice.

In announcing its decision to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the Venezuelan government described the move as "irrevocable," and argued that the ICC has demonstrated political and geographic bias by disproportionately investigating countries in Africa and Latin America. Officials also emphasized that Venezuela’s judicial system is capable of handling investigations without international intervention.

The UN Fact-Finding Mission expressed "grave concern" over the withdrawal, saying the decision raises serious questions about Venezuela's commitment to accountability for human right abuses. The mission said Venezuela should continue cooperating with the ICC while strengthening credible domestic investigations into alleged crimes against humanity. 

The ICC has been investigating allegations of crimes against humanity in Venezuela since 2021. Although the withdrawal process will take one year to become effective pursuant to Article 127 of the Rome Statute, the court can continue investigating crimes that occurred while Venezuela was still a party to the Rome Statute. The UN mission stated that maintaining cooperation with international justice institutions is critical to eprotecting victims' rights and preventing future abuses.

Recently, countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have withdrawn from the Rome Statute over claims that it is a neo-colonialist institution that was interfering in their domestic affairs. In light of the wave of turbulence impacting the ICC, including the removal of prosecutor Karim Khan, critics contend that the court is facing an unprecedented legitimacy crisis, with a widening gap between its mandate and its internal structural stability.

From JURIST, July 29. Used with permission.

Note: The US is now actually seeking to dismantle the ICC.