ICC urges Chad and Venezuela to reverse withdrawal plans amid wave of departures

The body overseeing the International Criminal Court has called on Chad and Venezuela to abandon plans to leave the tribunal, warning that the moves could weaken the global fight against impunity. In a statement issued from The Hague on Friday, the Assembly of States Parties said it had noted both decisions with concern. It urged the two countries to remain committed members and to raise grievances through dialogue inside the assembly rather than by withdrawing.

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The appeal comes as the court faces what the statement described as its most serious wave of departures since it was founded in 2002. Five countries have announced plans to exit the court since last year, according to the report, amid a campaign by the administration of United States President Donald Trump to curb the tribunal's power. Chad announced its withdrawal on July 27, saying the court's record was uneven and biased against Africa.

Venezuela followed three days earlier, with Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia telling the United Nations that the decision, ordered by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez, was firm and irrevocable. The statement said the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, means a withdrawal takes a year to take effect and does not remove obligations while a state remains a member. It also said leaving does not stop cases already under way.

On that basis, the ICC's long-running investigation into Venezuela can continue regardless of the withdrawal plan. The court's oversight body also said the two governments should use the assembly to address concerns rather than leaving the institution. The developments matter because the ICC depends on member states to support investigations, arrests and the wider enforcement of international justice.

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A series of withdrawals can complicate that work and add pressure to a court that already faces political resistance from several governments. The latest moves also come as the Trump administration has intensified criticism of the tribunal, linking its campaign to the ICC arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to the court's investigation into alleged crimes involving foreign forces in Afghanistan. Chad said its decision was driven in part by what it sees as an uneven record and by the fact that six of the seven suspects currently in ICC custody are tied to African cases.

Venezuela has made a similar argument, accusing the court of geographic bias against Africa and Latin America. The pair joins Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which announced last year that they were quitting the court. Together, the announcements point to a broader challenge for an institution that relies on voluntary membership and cooperation from states.

What remains unclear is whether Chad and Venezuela will follow through on the withdrawal process or respond to the assembly's appeal. Under the treaty, the exits would not take effect for a year, and the court's existing cases would continue in the meantime. The next developments to watch are any formal replies from the two governments and whether other states reconsider their own positions on membership.

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