PANAMA / GENEVA -The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is gravely concerned at Venezuela’s announcement of its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court.
This move raises profound concerns about the Government’s commitment to accountability and serves only to reinforce impunity for human rights violations. It comes at a critical juncture for the country, when what is urgently needed is the realization of the rights of Venezuelans to justice, truth, and a proper reckoning with the past.
Yet, the current administration has so far taken no meaningful action to progress investigations into the widely-documented gross violations and international crimes committed over more than a decade. Instead, with this step the Government seeks to evade international processes which are intended to spearhead that national-level accountability.
The Mission calls upon the Venezuelan government to reverse its decision to pull out of the International Criminal Court, and to engage and cooperate fully with all international justice mechanisms and human rights bodies, including the Court. Authorities must also commit to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for crimes against humanity and gross human rights violations, through national processes that meet international standards.
