Venezuela: Torture and excessive use of force against demonstrators and human rights defenders

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Item 4: ID with Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela

September 20, 2024

Oral statement by Helena Solà

We appreciate the important report of this Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, whose mandate we believe should be renewed by this Human Rights Council.

The organisations part of the United Against Torture Consortium express our concern and condemnation, that various human rights mechanisms have expressed, regarding the arbitrary arrests, acts of torture and excessive use of force against demonstrators and human rights defenders in Venezuela in the post-election context.

Since the elections, as the state itself has acknowledged, more than 2,000 detentions have been made against those exercising their rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. Civil society organisations have recorded at least 24 people killed and we are concerned that, as the Mission of Experts has found, these killings have been caused by gunshot wounds. In this regard, it is extremely important to investigate the members of the Bolivarian National Guard and the Bolivarian National Police, who used their firearms to repress the demonstrators.

We also condemn the use of repressive measures to prevent Venezuelan defenders from attending the Council session. We call on States to amplify their voices and ensure that they are part of the solutions to this human rights crisis.

Currently, Venezuelans face brutal repression for exercising their right to political participation and protest. Against this backdrop, the Mission can play a key role in providing accountability and maintaining international scrutiny in the midst of widespread repression following the 28 July elections.

We thank you.

Signatories:

• International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
• Omega Research Foundation.
• World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)