Criminal Court will investigate Venezuela for crimes against humanity 3:41
(CNN Spanish) -
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (CPI), Karim Khan, reported that he reached an agreement with the government of the questioned president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, to open an office in Caracas.
Khan, who arrived in the country's capital on Tuesday, said it was an important step.
“It is not something for the gallery.
It is something concrete that will allow me to comply with the Rome Statute and commit myself to the Venezuelan authorities”, he added.
It is the second time that Khan has set foot in the South American country as an ICC prosecutor.
In November, after his first visit, he announced that he would open an investigation into the situation in Venezuela, after, in February 2018, his predecessor in office opened a preliminary examination and a group of signatory states of the Statute, in September of that same year, request the opening of an investigation for crimes against humanity supposedly committed in Venezuelan territory.
According to the agency, the initial investigations determined that there are indications that crimes against humanity and human rights violations had been committed since at least April 2017.
Is there a possibility that the ICC archives the investigation of Venezuela?
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Khan said he was aware that his visit had not been easy and stressed that they had acted "sincerely and in good faith" in compliance with the memorandum of understanding "to help Venezuela guarantee justice to the extent possible."
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The memorandum of understanding signed between the Maduro government and his office establishes the framework for action of that instance in Venezuela, and makes it clear that "the serious crimes that concern the international community should not go unpunished," but that it has not yet identified no suspect or target and that the investigation to be initiated by the ICC "is intended to determine the truth and whether or not there are grounds to file charges against any person."
Attorney General of Venezuela rejects CPI report that finds indications of human rights violations
For his part, Maduro referred to the opening of the ICC office as the product of a consensus that will allow the establishment of technical assistance, and in this sense he highlighted "the good experience" that has already been had in the country with the assistance office. technician of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations, Michelle Bachelet.
“Venezuela is now going to have this office that is going to allow us a more efficient level of effective dialogue in real time and a level of technical assistance that allows the memorandum of understanding signed in November to continue its course, continue its development, as is , prosecutor Karim Khan, our interest”, added Maduro.
International Criminal Court