- The organization asked the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to warn those allegedly responsible for crimes under international law in Venezuela about the consequences of their actions.
Amnesty International urged the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, to take action against crimes against humanity in Venezuela that have increased “in scale and gravity” following the presidential elections of July 28.
Erika Guevara Rosas, the organization’s senior director of research, advocacy, policy and campaigns, said in an open letter to the ICC that prosecutor Khan’s silence on the situation in Venezuela is “alarming.”
“Your Attorney General’s Office has witnessed the deaths of dozens of people at the hands of security forces and pro-government armed groups, as well as the arbitrary detention of more than two thousand people in just a few days, simply for opposing or being perceived as opposing the government of Nicolás Maduro,” Guevara Rosas said in a statement. open letter published on August 9.
The organization also urged the acceleration of the ICC investigation into the situation in Venezuela that has been ongoing since November 2021, given that the impunity of the alleged criminal perpetrators not only continues but has worsened with the protests against the electoral results offered by the National Electoral Council (CNE) that proclaimed Nicolás Maduro as the winner of the elections.
“Since the unsupported and contested results were announced, state authorities have intensified a policy of widespread repression, including mass arbitrary arrests for political reasons, forced disappearances and torture,” said Guevara Rosas.
The ICC as a last resort for victims
Amnesty International urged Prosecutor Khan to issue a precautionary statement warning those suspected of committing crimes under international law of the consequences of their actions in Venezuela, specifically of the possibility that they may be brought to international justice.
“The ICC truly represents a last resort for victims of the most serious crimes in Venezuela. It is no exaggeration to say that the real possibility of being held individually responsible can deter actors from committing international crimes,” the organization’s open letter added.
For Amnesty International, this statement would not only give hope to the victims but would also show that the ICC is acting to ensure that justice prevails in Venezuela.
Support for NGOs
The representative of the organization, who appears as a signatory of the statement, also asked the ICC to publicly support all Venezuelan non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and condemn attacks against their members.
“In Venezuela, civil society organizations, associations and groups of victims and other human rights defenders have been subjected to continuous attacks by the government. This has included the arbitrary detention of several people, the cancellation of passports and the implementation of stigmatization campaigns by high-ranking authorities,” added the Amnesty International public letter.
For these reasons, the organization reminded Prosecutor Khan that the ICC is obliged to take action and provide protection to victims of crimes under international law, in accordance with the Rome Statute.
“We urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that those seeking justice in Venezuela are not harmed or targeted for doing so. This should, at a minimum, include a strong and unequivocal condemnation of the attacks,” the statement said.
Research on Venezuela
Amnesty International also urged the ICC to speed up its investigation into the situation in Venezuela to demonstrate that justice is being served through concrete action.
“Each passing day marked by delays in tangible progress in the investigation is accompanied by new serious violations of human rights and crimes under international law. Until all those with individual responsibility are brought to justice, violent repression will continue,” the organization stressed.
However, Amnesty International acknowledged the efforts made by prosecutor Karim Khan to seek justice in Venezuela, but believes that the complementary approach in the investigation must be changed in order to move forward.
“Where the ICC’s dual-track approach fails to yield results, or may even serve to impede its investigations, it is imperative that it commit to fully and expeditiously fulfilling its mandate,” the international institution said.
Related news
#Amnesty #International #called #ICC #issue #statement #postelection #situation #Venezuela
2024-08-10 14:23:59
