ICC Opens Office in Venezuela as the Country Expands Cooperation and Faces Crimes Against Humanity Investigation

Venezuela, unlike Russia, recognizes the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Venezuela is expanding cooperation with the ICC, which issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin in March this year in the case of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. Prosecutor Karim Khan visited Caracas, met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and opened a court office in the Venezuelan capital. Reuters.

The ICC is investigating Venezuela on suspicion of crimes against humanity. With the opening of an office in Caracas, the court hopes to work more closely with the Venezuelan authorities and also hopes to help the Latin American country push through judicial reforms that guarantee “more justice.”

Maduro, in turn, said that the opening of the office “will add positive practices and have a beneficial impact.”

It is not yet known how many employees will work in the office in Caracas, as well as other details of the agreement between the ICC and the Venezuelan leadership.

Recall that in March of this year, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Putin in the case of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children. Thus, the President of the Russian Federation can be detained on the territory of any country that recognizes the Rome Statute. Venezuela is one of those countries.

After a warrant issued by a court in The Hague, Putin stopped making foreign visits. In particular, he refused to travel to India, despite the fact that New Delhi does not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC. Also questionable is his visit to the BRICS summit, which will be held in South Africa this summer.

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Author: Artem Malinovsky