CARACAS – He fiscal general of the International Criminal Court (CPI), Karim Khan, reiterated this Monday to the Nicolás regime Maduro that the court will open an office in Venezuela to “cooperate” in the investigation of human rights violations.
The announcement occurs at a time when the Venezuelan State faces an investigation into crimes against humanity for the repression of anti-government protests in 2017.
“After this meeting I will be opening an office in Venezuela. It is not a secret office, I do not work illegally or clandestinely. In terms of these decisions, we are opening an office for the support and agreement with Venezuela,” Khan said from the Venezuelan Parliament.
“We will continue working, doing what we say we are doing, which is working independently, impartially, without ulterior motives, so that the law, by the grace of God, reigns effectively,” he added.
“Focus, the crimes”
Khan, who earlier met with Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, stated that the focus of his investigations are “crimes that may constitute genocides, war crimes, or crimes against humanity.”
His visit occurs after on March 1 the ICC rejected Venezuela’s appeal regarding the investigation it is carrying out for crimes against humanity during anti-government demonstrations in 2017 that left some 125 dead.
Caracas considers that it is an “unfounded decision”, arguing that the issue should be resolved in the country’s judicial system.
In 2018, the court began a preliminary examination of Venezuela after a complaint from Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Canada about the situation in Venezuela. The examination became a formal investigation in November 2021, after Khan’s first official visit to Caracas.
On that occasion, Khan and Maduro agreed on an ICC technical assistance office in Venezuela and signed a memorandum of understanding for Venezuela to adopt “measures” aimed at guaranteeing “the administration of justice.”
Dark clouds of suspicion
The ICC, created in 2002, is the world’s only independent court established to investigate the most serious crimes, such as genocides, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
“I believe there is unity in a central truth: that the dark clouds of suspicion over the accusations will not dissipate without the gentle breeze or winds of credible investigations,” Khan noted.
Venezuela’s attorney general, Tarek William Saab, told Khan that the country has made “great progress” in human rights. Since 2017, he assured, 2,795 state security officials have been accused of human rights violations, despite the evident persecution against the opposition on the eve of the presidential elections in which the dictator Maduro seeks continuity in power.
Of these, 1,021 agents “are in prison”, 580 have been convicted and another 524 have arrest warrants, according to the Chavista regime’s prosecutor.
Source: With information from AFP and AP
