52 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) warned about the participation of pro-government armed civilian groups in repressing protests. They recalled that firearms should never be used to contain or disperse demonstrations. They stressed that “there can be no inaction on the part of security bodies in the face of violent action by armed civilian groups.”
More than 50 non-governmental organizations have asked the Venezuelan State to clarify all doubts and questions surrounding the presidential election process that took place in the country on Sunday, July 28. They asserted that this is the only way to ensure peace in the country.
The organizations pointed out that during the election process there were limitations on witnesses and access to the minutes; accredited national witnesses were prevented from accessing the tally room; the transmission of the tally was halted after 30% of the minutes had been received; a former CNE director reported that the first bulletin was not printed in the tally room; irreversibility was not demonstrated and the expert technical audit that allows the veracity of the reported hacking to be verified was suspended.
According to the organizations, these incidents significantly affect credibility and raise reasonable doubts about whether the results issued by the governing body reliably reflect the popular will expressed at the polls. They asked that these inconsistencies be clarified in a comprehensive manner and with the highest and most rigorous standards in terms of technical matters and guarantees of the right to vote.
“Only the immediate publication of the votes, the minutes, by voting centers and in accordance with the results of the tables and the audits of the machines, in the words of the Secretary General of the United Nations with Total Transparency, will it be possible to trust that the results are those expressed by the Venezuelans on July 28,” They pointed out NGOs.
*Read also: Carter Center: Venezuelan elections cannot be considered democratic
Irregularities
They recalled that the irregularities were the trigger for the Venezuelan population, after the announcement of the results by the governing body, to come out to demand transparency in the results and respect for their will expressed through the vote.
They stressed that, in relation to the spontaneous mobilizations, they have documented a new cycle of repression, “which we deeply reject and demand the cessation of politically motivated persecution and serious human rights violations against the population that expresses its discontent as a consequence of the announcement of unverified results.”
They highlighted that on July 29, at least 210 demonstrations were geolocated in Venezuela. They pointed out that at that time arrests were recorded in the states of Barinas (24); Zulia (18); Yaracuy (15); Anzoátegui (10); Distrito
Capital (6); Aragua (6); Carabobo (2); Miranda (1) and Merida (1).
They said they managed to count 11 people killed by firearms in Yaracuy (1), Zulia (1), in the Capital District (4) and in Aragua (1). At least 84 injured, 3 minors and a very alarming number of reports of missing persons yet to be confirmed.
NGOs sound the alert
«We want to make a special alert and special condemnation of the participation of pro-government armed civilian groups in
repression against protests, we want to point out as warned by the United Nations rapporteur on freedom of association
United that peaceful protests must be protected, guaranteed and facilitated; the Venezuelan state is responsible for
“Actions and omissions to protect and guarantee life and integrity by law enforcement agencies,” the organizations said.
At the same time, they recalled that firearms should never be used to contain or disperse demonstrations. They stressed that “there can be no inaction on the part of security bodies in the face of violent actions by armed civilian groups.”
The NGOs warned that ill-treatment, torture, physical and psychological aggression, arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances “are serious crimes against humanity and are part of the investigation into political persecution being carried out by the International Criminal Court.”
They rejected the announcement by the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, about the shooting death of a sergeant in the state of Aragua, and the wounding of 25 police officers.
“It is very worrying that the approach and the name used to refer to protesters is ‘criminals, terrorists and insurrectionists, fascist factors of the extremist right, supported by imperial factors,'” the NGOs said.
They added that the warning from the Minister of Defense of the civil-military union to act against demonstrations is also worrying. “We warn of the danger of repeating events and actions from 2014 and 2017 against protesters that resulted in very serious consequences and that are being investigated to establish the commission of crimes against humanity.”
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