HRW: Venezuela police raids targeting, abusing low-income communities News
HRW: Venezuela police raids targeting, abusing low-income communities

Police and military raids in low-income communities in Venezuela are leading to allegations of widespread abuse, the Venezuelan Human Rights Education-Action Program (PROVEA) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy websites] said in a joint report [text] issued Monday. Titled “Unchecked Power: Police and Military Raids in Low-Income and Immigrant Communities in Venezuela,” this report outlines allegations [press release] including extrajudicial killings, mass arbitrary detentions, maltreatment of detainees, forced evictions, the destruction of homes and the arbitrary deportation of Colombian nationals. The abuses are connected to “Operation to Liberate and Protect the People” (OLP), the Venezuelan government’s anti-crime initiative which began in July 2015 to combat the presence of criminal gangs and has since resulted in the deaths of 250 people.

Unemployment is rampant in Venezuela, and an economic boom in 1970 led to a recession that crushed the middle class and lowered the living standards of poor, who constitute approximately 60 percent of the population. The Venezuelan High Court and General Assembly have been at odds recently, as the court is heavily influenced by the government [JURIST reports]. An anti-government party is prominent in the assembly, contributing to the climate of unrest. In 2014 the UN Human Rights Chief called for an end to violence in Venezuela [JURIST report] and urged all parties [official statement] involved to move towards meaningful dialogue in hopes of resolving the situation.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.