ICC body urges Chad and Venezuela to reverse course on withdrawal

What Happened

The Assembly of States Parties, the oversight body of the International Criminal Court, called on Chad and Venezuela to reverse their announced withdrawals from the ICC, warning in a statement from The Hague on Friday that their departures risk weakening the global fight against impunity. Venezuela’s withdrawal was announced three days before Chad’s, with Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia telling the United Nations that the decision, ordered by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, was “firm and irrevocable” and accusing the court of geographic bias against Africa and Latin America. Chad had announced its withdrawal on July 27, citing the court’s uneven record and noting that six of the seven suspects in ICC custody are tied to African cases.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The withdrawals are part of the most serious wave of departures since the ICC’s founding in 2002, with five nations announcing exits since last year. This erosion comes amid sustained US pressure and the dismissal of chief prosecutor Karim Khan over sexual misconduct allegations, deepening doubts about the court’s resilience. The exits threaten the ICC’s legitimacy and its ability to hold perpetrators of serious crimes accountable globally, potentially emboldening further defections.

Watch For

Whether Chad and Venezuela complete the one-year withdrawal process after the formal registration period, whether the US intensifies its campaign with further diplomatic pressure or sanctions against ICC officials and member states, and how the ICC’s ongoing investigation into Venezuela progresses despite the withdrawal not halting existing cases.