Killings by security forces rife in Venezuela, rule of law 'virtually absent' - U.N.

[rooster59]

Killings by security forces rife in Venezuela, rule of law 'virtually absent' - U.N.

By Stephanie Nebehay

 

FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators fall on the ground after being hit by a riot police armoured vehicle while clashing with the riot police during a rally against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, May 3, 2017. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

 

GENEVA (Reuters) - Venezuelan security forces suspected of killing hundreds of demonstrators and alleged criminals enjoy immunity from prosecution, indicating that the rule of law is "virtually absent" in the country, the United Nations said on Friday.

 

The U.N. human rights office called on the government to bring perpetrators to justice and said it was sending its report to the International Criminal Court (ICC), whose prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation in February.

 

The U.N. report cited "credible, shocking" accounts of extrajudicial killings of young men during crime-fighting operations in poor neighbourhoods conducted without arrest warrants. Security forces would tamper with the scene so that there appeared to have been an exchange of fire, it said.

 

There was no immediate response from the government of President Nicolas Maduro to the report.

 

Critics say Maduro has used increasingly authoritarian tactics as the OPEC nation's economy has spiralled deeper into recession and hyperinflation, fuelling discontent and prompting hundreds of thousands to emigrate in the past year.

 

About 125 people died in anti-government protests last year.

 

Security forces were allegedly responsible for killing at least 46 of them, U.N. rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a news briefing, adding: "Evidence has reportedly disappeared from case files."

 

Maduro says the opposition protests were aimed at overthrowing him and accuses the United States of directing an "economic war" against Venezuela.

 

"The failure to hold security forces accountable for such serious human rights violations suggests that the rule of law is virtually absent in Venezuela," said Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights. "The impunity must end."

 

Zeid called on the U.N. Human Rights Council on Monday to set up an international commission of inquiry into alleged violations in Venezuela -- one of its 47 member states.

 

"The time has come for the Council to use its voice to speak out before this tragic downward spiral becomes irreversible," Leila Swan of Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Friday.

 

The unpopular Maduro has cast the release of dozens of opposition members as a peace gesture following his re-election to a new six-year term last month, which was condemned by most Western nations as an undemocratic farce. His government denies the detainees are political prisoners.

 

Venezuela is suffering from an economic collapse that includes chronic shortages of food and medicine and annualised inflation around 25,000 percent. Maduro blames an "economic war" directed by the opposition and the United States -- which has imposed new sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry.

 

Under previous attorney-general Luisa Ortega Diaz, who fled Venezuela last year, 357 security officers were believed to be under investigation for crime-related killings, but there has been no public information since then, the report said.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-23

[DoctorG]

Marx would be proud.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, DoctorG said:

Marx would be proud.

 

Classic - oppressing the people, stealing from them, inept, lying about the reality of the situation, murdering or imprisoning opponents, putting himself and his regime above the law.

 

Why do so many who claim to be the party of the people turn out to be like the pigs in Animal Farm?

[chippendale]

Socialism has led to absolute misery, thuggish dictatorship and oppression each time.

 

"But hey, let's give it another go. We're sure it'll work this time!"

[Sir Dude]

Largest proven oil reserves in the world and still can't get it right. Way-to-go you commie socialists, Mad Maduro needs toppling or arresting. Shame that his fellow banana republic neighbours can't grow a spine, do the right thing and sort it out...sure they would get help from elsewhere too. Getting out-of-control there. Will be interesting to see how far it is allowed to go downhill before something is done.

[off road pat]

Classic procedure to overthrow a government, destabilize, create troubles and insecurity, attack it's finances in order to devaluate it's currency, control the international press and create and publish negative information, in order to topple the government and control in order to steal the country's rich resources !!!! has been done hundred's of times before !!

You People still fall for this !!!

[Morch]

 

@off road pat

 

 

 

[weegee]

If the UN is making the statements....I dont believe a word of it.

Biggest trouble makers in the world and should be disbanded !

[Stargeezr]

Anarchy, is what they have, and a civil war is what they need in that country.

[bendejo]

12 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

Why do so many who claim to be the party of the people turn out to be like the pigs in Animal Farm? 

 

The behavior came before the book. 

 

 

[keeniau96]

A rich country with wonderful people during my several years there about 50 years ago. A true social/economic disaster all caused by mismanagement and greed under the cover of socialism.

[quandow]

On 6/23/2018 at 2:43 PM, chippendale said:

Socialism has led to absolute misery, thuggish dictatorship and oppression each time.

 

"But hey, let's give it another go. We're sure it'll work this time!"

Well, capitalism sure seems to have made a complete mess of things, too. What would you suggest as a solution?

[chippendale]

1 hour ago, quandow said:

Well, capitalism sure seems to have made a complete mess of things, too. What would you suggest as a solution?

It's not as simplistic as a binary choice: socialism vs capitalism

 

Capitalism is the clear winner, of course. Look at your laptop and smartphone, fridge and washing machine, over a billion people lifted out of socialist poverty, medical innovations in painkillers and vaccines, etc. But the fat cats have subverted the the rule of law and are misbehaving with impunity, removing our privacy, exploiting dodgy legal loopholes, unconcerned about environmental destruction. A third alternative is possible. Capitalism's excesses need to be fixed with a new constitution and the rule of law, not the rule of tax dodging oligarchs.

[quandow]

20 hours ago, chippendale said:

A third alternative is possible. Capitalism's excesses need to be fixed with a new constitution and the rule of law, not the rule of tax dodging oligarchs.

What you are describing is democratic socialism aka regulated capitalism with some minor differences. I can't think of a better solution.

[chippendale]

44 minutes ago, quandow said:

What you are describing is democratic socialism aka regulated capitalism with some minor differences. I can't think of a better solution.

That's not what I'm describing.