Organizations concerned about the ICC Office in Caracas

Miraflores Press

Civil society organizations expressed concern regarding the possibility that the International Criminal Court office -CPI- in Caracas have a small budget and staffas has happened with other local instances in the past.

They warned that this might create risks and asked that every effort be made to ensure that it will work in a timely, safe, effective and independent manner.

“We are confident in the value of the local presence of the ICC through a decentralized office. For this, we call for the same is endowed with the necessary budget to be able to have a real and significant impact. Likewise, we hope that said office will be duly represented by a high-level staff, with the expertise and knowledge of the situation on the ground”, they stated.

They supported, in a joint statement, the announcements on cooperation to ensure, in addition to the installation of the office, the entry into the country and the free movement of the staff of the International Criminal Court.

The organizations positively valued the intention to strengthen ties with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

But they expressed interest in also establish a working relationship with other key playerssuch as the Mission to Determine the Facts regarding Venezuela, which has documented the alleged crimes committed by the Venezuelan government, as well as the current situation of the Judiciary in the country.

Interaction with victims and relatives

They emphasized that the interaction of the ICC Prosecutor’s Office with Venezuelan civil society, but above all with the victims, the survivors, their families and their representatives, is a matter of enormous relevance.

They agreed, however, on the concern for the few spaces of interaction by the management of prosecutor Karim Khan in his two visits to Venezuela.

“We call for the prosecution office to be able to generate safe and transparent spaces for dialogue with the victims and civil society in Venezuela, with due guarantees offered by the government that there will be no retaliation once morest those who approach and cooperate. Likewise, we reiterate our firm interest in continuing a fluid dialogue in all possible spaces of interaction, including in The Hague”, they affirmed.

The notice, which can be read in full herehad the support of Amnesty International, Access to Justice, the Center for Justice and Peace, the Washington Office for Latin American Affairs, the Venezuelan Prison Observatory, Cofavic and Provea, among others.

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