Shivani Gadhavi –
Published On: November 05, 2021 at 13:23 IST
The International Criminal Court issued a statement that it would start an investigation regarding the allegations made against the government of Venezuela led by President Nicolas Maduro for using security forces in the torture and extrajudicial killings of political opponents and using excessive force to detain the general public who’re protesting against his government.
The International Criminal Court stated that President Nicolas Maduro and ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan signed a “Letter of Understanding’ to facilitate cooperation and mutual assistance to advance accountability for its atrocious crimes.”
On 3rd November 2021 during a televised news conference at the conclusion of his three-day visit to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.
The International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan warned the Venezuelan Government against attempts to interfere with the aforementioned Investigation which is the first one of its kind in Latin America.
President Nicolas Maduro called the recent meetings a “step forward” in relations between the Government and the ICC, which began a Preliminary Investigation in February 2018 focused on allegations of Abuse and crimes against Humanity, during a brutal 2017 Government crackdown, on the general public protesting against the present Government.
A Report by the United Nations’ Top Human Rights Body in 2020 concluded that Maduro and some members of his Government gave orders, coordinated activities, and supplied resources for arbitrary detentions, torture, disappearances, and extrajudicial killing of members of opposition parties and those who protested against them.
It recommended that the findings be looked into by international courts.The Opposition Party’s Leader José Miguel Vivanco also welcomed the probe stating, “The formal opening of the investigation vindicates the right to obtain justice that has been denied in Venezuela for the victims and their families,” on his Twitter account on the 3rd November 2021.
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