ICC Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan (right) greeting Ukrainian ruler Volodimir Zelensky during their meeting in Kiev on February 28, 2023. Photo: Ukrainian Presidency/AFP.
Through an official statement on Monday, Venezuela condemned the most recent comments by International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Ahmad Khan, in which he joined a campaign to politicize the issue of human rights to the country’s detriment.
“Venezuela rejects accusations by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Ahmad Khan. [These remarks] demonstrate a prejudiced vision that instrumentalizes justice and human rights for political purposes, to the detriment of the seriousness and rigor expected of that body,” Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil wrote on social media.
“Once again, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court shows a clearly prejudiced vision in relation to Venezuela, reproducing without consideration the campaigns that seek to instrumentalize the issue of justice and human rights for political purposes to the detriment of the seriousness and rigor that is expected from an international body of such relevance,” reads the statement published by the minister.
#COMUNICADO Venezuela rechaza señalamientos del Fiscal de la Corte Penal Internacional, Karim Ahmad Khan, demostrando una visión prejuiciada que instrumentaliza la justicia y los DDHH con fines políticos, en detrimento de la seriedad y rigurosidad que se espera de ese organismo. pic.twitter.com/orZR1Vdz3k
— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) April 3, 2023
The statement notes that Venezuela presented a report to the ICC on February 28 “that refutes all the fallacies of the media and geopolitical aggression launched to accuse Venezuela of alleged crimes against humanity, which never occurred.”
In the statement, Venezuela confirms that it will continue to exercise all necessary actions to disclose the truth and defend its rights as a nation.
Venezuela rejects ICC Prosecutor’s comments
Below, we reproduce the unofficial translation of the statement published by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry:
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The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects the unfounded allegations made by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Ahmad Khan KC, in his response to the observations presented by Venezuela in the so-called ‘Venezuela I’ case.
Once again, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court shows a clearly prejudiced vision in relation to Venezuela, reproducing without consideration the campaigns that seek to instrumentalize the issue of justice and human rights for political purposes to the detriment of the seriousness and rigor that is expected from an international body of such relevance.
On February 28, 2023, before the International Criminal Court, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela presented a solid document that refutes all the fallacies of the media and geopolitical aggression launched to accuse Venezuela of alleged crimes against humanity, which never occurred.
The statements recently presented by the Prosecutor in no way distort the irrefutable statements made by Venezuela. On the contrary, they confirm that the ICC lacks jurisdiction to hear the facts presented by Prosecutor Khan in light of the provisions of the Rome Statute and the jurisprudence of that international organization.
Finally, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela confirms that it will continue to exercise all available actions to make the truth prevail and defend its rights as a nation in the face of this expression of ‘lawfare’ that openly uses the institutional framework of the International Criminal Court for political purposes.
Caracas, April 3, 2023
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
