Maduro's defense seeks dismissal of charges in New York citing sovereign immunity

NEW YORK, September 3. /TASS/. The defense team of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has requested a New York judge to dismiss all charges against him citing the doctrine of sovereign immunity for heads of state from prosecution abroad, according to the legal motion obtained by TASS.

"Mr. Maduro is entitled to sovereign immunity. The Indictment itself concedes that he exercised the powers of several official positions including Venezuela’s Presidency and remained, at minimum, the country’s de facto head of state, notwithstanding the Executive Branch’s subsequent political non-recognition of his de jure status," the document reads.

"Common law sovereign immunity deprives the Court of jurisdiction to adjudicate charges against Mr. Maduro as both a sovereign head of state and a foreign official prosecuted for acts attributable to the sovereign," the defense team continued. "The Court lacks jurisdiction over the prosecution of Mr. Maduro and must dismiss the Indictment against him, with prejudice."

In line with the international law, heads of state and high-ranking officials are granted personal immunity from criminal prosecution.