The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights extended the presence of his team in Venezuela for two years and demanded the release of all political prisoners

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker Turk, and members of his team, Helene Devaux, and José M. Aranaz (Reuters)

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (Acnudh) will have a presence in Venezuela for two more years, the official who heads this body, Volker Türk, announced this Saturday during the press conference he offered at the end of his official mission in Caracas.

“I am encouraged by the government’s decision to extend the team’s presence in Venezuela for another two years so that they can continue their work promoting the human rights agenda in the country,” Türk said from the Simón Bolívar international airport in Maiquetía, in his last intervention before leaving the country.

During his speech, he revealed that during his visit to Caracas he met with more than 125 victims, human rights defenders and national NGOs, and that he also met with the dictator Maduro and his main officials.

“I asked that all the people arbitrarily detained in Venezuela be released,” he said.

Moved by the brutal testimonies he heard – “a woman told me with tears in her eyes how her sister was detained, tortured and raped” – he demanded “an end to torture once and for all” and to limit “the broad and prolonged use of preventive detention”. In addition, he requested that the National Commission against Torture be strengthened, that the Convention on Forced Detentions and the Escazú Agreement be ratified.

He also referred to the reports of extrajudicial executions, of which he said “unfortunately it continues to be perpetrated” and that it is “an issue that cannot be omitted.”

“I was promised that the complaints of torture would be dealt with, they would be investigated and those responsible prosecuted,” he declared.

Türk also demanded access to all detention centers in the country and a comprehensive reform of the Justice.

The United Nations envoy warned that the Maduro regime must guarantee a safe return for all Venezuelan migrants.

Regarding the intention of the Chavista Parliament to approve a law that criminalizes and threatens to outlaw NGOs, Türk pointed out that in his meetings with regime officials he reiterated “the importance of guaranteeing civic space and I asked that a broad consultative process be established on the law”.

Developing…

Keep reading:

The regime of Nicolás Maduro detained an activist in the middle of the visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights In a harsh letter, more than 90 Venezuelan NGOs demanded that Volker Türk be more firm in monitoring and condemning human rights violations in Venezuela The US Justice accused the chavista magistrate Maikel Moreno of committing bribery and money laundering

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