Venezuela: UN Experts Find Human Rights Abuses Still Prevalent Under Nicolas Maduro

The United Nations' (UN) top human rights body is working with independent experts to investigate the human rights abuses in Venezuela under President Nicolas Maduro.

In a third report from the fact-finding mission on Venezuela commissioned by the UN's Human Rights Council and released Tuesday, these independent experts have concluded that human rights abuses continue in the country.

According to the report, Venezuelan authorities under Maduro failed to hold to account several state-backed perpetrators of violations, The Associated Press reported. These human rights violations include arbitrary executions, sexual violence, and torture of civilians.

Failures of Venezuela's Government in Terms of Human Rights

The experts warned that intelligence and counterintelligence services are also continuing their abuses. The report noted that the main perpetrators of these abusive acts are the military counterintelligence service, known as DGCIM, and the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service, or SEBIN.

The report said Nicolas Maduro and ruling party leader Diosdado Cabello were giving orders to identify targets for an investigation that included civilians and government critics. Members of the SEBIN then followed these orders and arrested these individuals before subjecting them to torture or "cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment."

Marta Valiñas, a Portuguese legal expert who chairs the mission, told The AP that "Venezuela is still facing a profound human rights crisis."

The UN's three-person mission to Venezuela also noted that the government did not provide any reparations to victims, and the judicial reforms announced in 2021 failed to address the lack of independence and impartiality within the Venezuelan justice system.

The UN-backed independent team conducted 250 interviews in their mission and has documented a total of 122 cases of victims. According to the findings, DGCIM agents subjected these 122 victims to torture, sexual violence, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment at its headquarters in Caracas and other covert locations across Venezuela.

Human rights abuses were also documented in a remote region where illegal gold mining is widespread. The experts are expected to formally present their findings to the United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday.

What Independent Human Rights Groups Are Saying Against Venezuela and Nicolas Maduro

As the UN's independent experts present their findings, their report echoes what independent human rights activists have been saying about Venezuela for years. These activist groups include Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

Human Rights Watch reported that in 2021, the Nicolas Maduro government security forces were responsible not only for the short-term forced disappearances of political opponents but also responsible for extrajudicial executions.

Opponents jailed under the Maduro government were civilians but have been prosecuted in military courts. Human Rights Watch also found that they also tortured detainees and cracked down on protesters.

Much like the UN mission report, Human Rights Watch also pointed out the lack of judicial independence in the country. It contributed to the impunity practiced by officials, with judicial authorities also participating or complicit in these abuses themselves.

Amnesty International also discussed unfair trials, as the Maduro government used criminal proceedings and the courts to silence dissent. The group pointed out that the Venezuelan justice system "played a significant role in the State's repression of Government opponents."

"The effects of the deterioration of the rule of law extend beyond those directly affected and impact society as a whole," it added.

It was also pointed out that dissent has been repressed in Venezuela as political opponents faced constant attacks and harassment. These political opponents also face high risks of arbitrary detention, torture, and other human rights violations.

Freedom of expression and assembly are also very much repressed. The government tends to clamp down on whatever protests arise, with the police, military, or pro-government armed groups often attacking these protesters.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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