The UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela urged Monday for the government to end the repression that began following the country’s disputed presidential elections of July 28, 2024.
In its press release, the UN independent mission recognized 23 deaths during protests, most of which were caused by gunfire. Chair of the mission, Marta Valiñas, argued, “The reported deaths during the protests must be thoroughly investigated”, as a “climate of widespread fear” is being induced by the Venezuelan government.
Investigations and trials are also a point of concern for the Fact-Finding Mission. The preliminary analysis of available data concluded at least 1,260 people were detained since the elections. Patterns in these arrests show mass arbitrary detentions and violations of due process. According to the mission, some hearings were done in the Venezuelan capital Caracas even if the events happened in other districts; the threshold of evidence was not met for some serious criminal charges of terrorism, conspiracy and hate crimes; and family members were denied information on trials. Patricia Tappatá, another expert on the mission, said, “All individuals arbitrarily detained must be released immediately.” She also mentioned Venezuela ought to adhere to international standards, which prohibits subjecting citizens to arbitrary arrests in Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
Among the detained are members of the opposition and journalists but also citizens who expressed their disagreement with the recent official results of the elections. The mission is also concerned with the more than 100 children charged with serious crimes like terrorism, conspiracy and hate crimes. As proper judicial proceedings are disregarded, the mission calls for Venezuela to treat detained children “in strict compliance with international child protection obligations.”
Since the publication of the official results by the National Electoral Council (CNE) claiming Nicolás Maduro’s victory for another presidential term, mass protests have been initiated in Venezuela’s major cities. Members of the opposition have called for worldwide protests, and several international leaders and entities asked for transparency. The Independent Mission formed to investigate alleged human rights violations in Venezuela since 2014 will continue its research.
