ICC prosecutor seeks to resume Venezuela investigation

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor is seeking to reopen his investigation into allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings committed by Venezuelan security forces under President Nicolás Maduro. Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request Tuesday for authorization to resume the probe comes just over six months after Venezuela asked the court to defer its investigation to authorities in the Latin American nation. The ICC is a court of last resort that investigates alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and other grave offenses when nations are unable, or unwilling, to do so. But Khan says he believes a deferral to Venezuelan authorities “is, at this stage, not warranted, and that the investigation should be authorized to resume.”