ICC body urges Chad and Venezuela to reverse course on withdrawal

What the report says

The International Criminal Court’s oversight body has urged Chad and Venezuela to abandon plans to leave the tribunal, saying their exits would undermine efforts to hold perpetrators of serious crimes accountable. In a statement from The Hague, the Assembly of States Parties said the two governments should keep working through internal ICC channels rather than withdrawing. The appeal follows a period of mounting pressure on the court and a growing number of announced departures from its membership.

Al Jazeera reported that Chad announced its withdrawal on July 27, citing what it described as an uneven ICC record and bias against Africa. Venezuela made a similar move three days earlier, with its foreign minister telling the United Nations that the decision was final and accusing the court of geographic bias against Africa and Latin America. Under the Rome Statute, a withdrawal takes effect after a year and does not stop ongoing cases while a state is still formally a member.

The latest moves come as the ICC faces increased strain, including a campaign by the Trump administration to reduce the court’s influence. According to the report, Washington has linked its criticism to the ICC warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to the court’s Afghanistan inquiry. The departures add to earlier announcements by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, raising questions about the court’s long-term support and effectiveness.