Amnesty International (AI) affirmed this Friday in a report that impunity continues in Venezuela in cases of human rights violations. At the same time, they indicated that they were aware of new cases of alleged extrajudicial executions, arbitrary detentions, and torture.
“Impunity for human rights violations continued to be the norm,” the organization said in the “Dossier Tortura 2022” report. This on the occasion of the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture that is celebrated this Sunday, June 26.
They also explained that the “policy of repression applied by the government of Nicolás Maduro” continued.
“New cases of extrajudicial executions, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and torture were known. And ill-treatment against people who were considered critics of the government, “he added.
He recalled that a new investigation was opened into the forced disappearance, arbitrary detention, torture and death of Captain Rafael Acosta Arévalo. Which occurred in 2019, “but not including the responsibility of the chain of command.”
AI cited a report by the UN Fact-Finding Mission on the Caribbean country from September 2021, which revealed that it was “usual” for the authorities not to investigate allegations of torture.
“In 67 of the 183 cases it documented, prisoners had appeared in court with visible signs of ill-treatment. In other cases, the allegations of torture did not appear in the court records. In others, the Public Ministry (Prosecutor’s Office) was ordered to open a formal investigation,” the organization recalled.
Amnesty International affirmed that impunity continues for human rights violations in Venezuela
Between January 2020 and October 2021, the Venezuelan NGO Foro Penal registered 481 people “arbitrarily” detained. Of which, in addition, 95 were tortured, the entity reported on June 21.
The organization, which presented a report together with the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights entitled “Criminal Justice as a tool of political repression in Venezuela,” noted that 93 cases of torture were recorded in 2020 and two in 2021.
“Among those cases, the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (Dgcim) led the number of reports against. Represented 29 of 95 (30.53%) of the total complaints of torture », he explained.
Likewise, it indicated that the cases of torture occur, mostly, when the detention occurs in the context of protests (38 cases). Followed by “conspiracy” (23 cases) and military rebellion (17 cases).
