This Wednesday (5), the date on which Venezuela celebrates the anniversary of its independence, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, made a statement before the 53rd Session of the Human Rights Council on arbitrary arrests, torture and persecutions of opponents perpetrated by the dictatorship led by Nicolás Maduro.
According to Türk, official reports indicated that last year 362 officials of the Chavista regime were indicted and 47 convicted of torture and ill-treatment, but that impunity remains a problem in many cases.
“The Office has received information on a further 91 allegations of torture filed by victims and their representatives since 2018, and I urge the authorities to ensure proper follow-up, without exception and with full transparency,” said the Commissioner.
Türk cited that investigations into deaths that occurred during the 2014, 2017 and 2019 protests remain stalled. “Furthermore, of the 101 deaths my office has documented in the context of security operations, only eight cases have been brought to trial,” he pointed out.
Türk reiterated calls for the release of illegally or arbitrarily detained persons, “including 16 persons whose detentions were considered arbitrary by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and persons whose pre-trial detention exceeded the legal limit”.
“I am concerned about the case of Javier Tarazona, a prominent human rights defender who has been detained for two years and who is reportedly in poor health. Its process is in progress”, highlighted the commissioner.
Türk also mentioned cases of threats and social stigmatization of activists, members of opposition parties and other dissident voices, including 67 cases in which officials of the Chavista dictatorship were directly involved.
“My office also documented 17 instances of improper prosecutions and arbitrary detentions. The number of these incidents has decreased compared to the previous year, but remains worrying”, warned the commissioner, who also pointed out the persecution of the press and independent organizations, with the closure of 16 radio stations and “undue restrictions” on the registration of NGOs that work with human rights issues.
Finally, Türk made reference to the disqualification of opposition candidates for the 2024 presidential election and the actions to designate a new National Electoral Council (CNE), which analysts consider to be aimed at forming a collegiate even more focused on Maduro’s interests. .
“Reports of obstacles to free participation in political affairs – including the administrative disqualification of members of the opposition from holding office – urgently need to be addressed. We are closely following developments around the appointment of a new National Electoral Council, from the point of view of international human rights standards,” said Türk.
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