Image source: Rodrigo Suarez
Venezuela has experienced an increase in human rights violations over the past year following a contested presidential election, according to the United Nations.
On October 15, 2024, the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela submitted a report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, citing arbitrary arrests, torture, and violence against children.
Mainly, the report highlights an obvious escalation in human rights abuses perpetrated by Venezuelan security forces, government officials, and pro-government armed civilian groups referred to as “armed groups” in the aftermath of Venezuela’s disputed presidential election in July 2024.
The outcomes reveal that these abuses were part of a coordinated effort to silence, intimidate, and suppress opposition to President Maduro’s government. The report states that detainees, including children and people with disabilities, were subjected to threats and, in some cases, torture in order to coerce false confessions for serious crimes such as terrorism.
The report asserts that these violations amount to crimes against humanity, particularly persecution on political grounds.At least 25 people have been killed, hundreds injured, and thousands detained for exercising their fundamental right to freedom of expression, according to the report.
Consequently, the Mission called for the immediate release of all arbitrarily detained individuals and urged the Venezuelan government to respect the physical and psychological well-being of detainees. It also emphasized the need for international attention to ensure the protection of children under these circumstances.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission (IFFM) has pledged to continue investigating the situation. In its latest resolution, the Human Rights Council extended the mission’s mandate for another two years.
On September 4, 2024, Human Rights Watch reported widespread abuses by Venezuelan authorities and pro-government armed groups against demonstrators, opponents, and critics in the aftermath of the July 28 presidential elections.
According to Human Rights Watch, Venezuelan authorities have arrested more than 2,400 people in connection with the protests. The local nonprofit organization Foro Penal has documented the arrest of over 1,580 political prisoners since July 29, including 114 children. Prosecutors have charged hundreds of individuals with broad and often harsh crimes, such as incitement to hatred, resistance to authority, and “terrorism.
Same Justice Human Rights calls for accountability for those responsible for these crimes, the release of all detainees, and heightened protection for vulnerable groups such as children and adolescents with disabilities.
Additionally, Same Justice urges the Venezuelan government to review its laws regarding “resistance to authority” and calls for free and fair elections, transparent to the people, or an impartial investigation of electoral results.
