ICC body urges Chad and Venezuela to reverse course on withdrawal

The body that oversees the International Criminal Court has called on Chad and Venezuela to abandon their withdrawals from the institution, warning that their departure risks weakening the global fight against impunity.

In a statement issued Friday from The Hague, the Assembly of States Parties said it had noted the two countries’ moves “with concern”, urging them to remain committed members and to raise any grievances through dialogue within the assembly rather than leaving altogether.

The appeal comes as the court faces its most serious wave of departures since its founding in 2002. Five nations have announced plans to exit the court since last year, with the administration of United States President Donald Trump mounting a campaign to curb the tribunal’s power.

Chad announced its withdrawal on July 27, arguing that the court’s record was uneven and skewed against Africa. It noted that of the seven suspects currently in ICC custody, six are tied to African cases.

Venezuela followed a similar line three days earlier, with Minister of Foreign Affairs 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.

Under the founding Rome Statute, a withdrawal takes a year to formally register and does not erase obligations while a state remains a member, nor does it halt cases already under way. That means the ICC’s long-running investigation into Venezuela can continue regardless.

The pair joins Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, who announced they were quitting the court last year.

The latest exits come amid sustained pressure from the Trump administration, which has pledged a “whole-of-government” effort to “systematically disable” the ICC.

The White House and State Department have cited as motivation the ICC arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on war crime charges connected to Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, as well as the court’s investigation into the actions of foreign forces, including US soldiers and intelligence agents, in Afghanistan.

Chad’s government said its decision followed a direct phone call from a senior US diplomat urging it to reconsider membership, while Trump himself recently insisted the campaign was designed to shield Netanyahu and allied officials.

The pressure has coincided with the dismissal of the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, over sexual misconduct allegations, deepening doubts about its resilience.

Analysts say the court’s future may hinge on whether the remaining members stay engaged or allow it to weaken through neglect.