UN experts on Wednesday called on the Venezuelan government to stop holding opponents and activists, saying the practice often constitutes “forced disappearance.”
The United Nations mission to international fact-finding in Venezuela's independence highlights the case of lawyer and rights campaigner Eduardo Torres. He was imprisoned for five days on suspicion of terrorism and treason, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
“Targeted detention is part of the state's intentional plan for the repressive agency to silence the opposition's numbers or people perceived and instill fear in the population,” investigators said.
“In the condition of isolated and unjust detention, the possession of an adversary is an illegal and improper practice that can constitute an international crime,” Mission Chairman Marta Valinas said in a statement.
Investigators say this “politically orchestrated” practice is guided “from the highest level of power.”
“The lack of effective legal protection mechanisms is shocking and reflects the lack of real legal rules.”
It in particular cites at least 20 suspicious cases in which acts of habeas protection or a person’s right to challenge his or her detention in court was denied.
– Arrested for “conspiracy” –
Experts said that after Torres disappeared last Friday, “family members and lawyers waited outside the House of Justice for several hours and could not submit a habeas petition due to the rejection of the Chairman’s Justice.”
They added that the petition was finally received on Monday, but there is no news about the decision.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Tarek William Saab said Torres was arrested in regional and legislative elections held on May 25 and “his connection to a conspiracy designed to create violence”.
Saab said in a statement sent to AFP that he would face charges of conspiracy, terrorism and treason.
Experts stress that if the basic legal norms of torture and mandatory disappearance are violated, “incarceration or other serious deprivation of physical freedom” is a part of a widespread or systematic attack on civilians, it may be equivalent to a “crime against humanity”.
“These actions were committed in Venezuela and are part of human sexual crimes against political persecution,” Francisco Cox, a member of the Mission Committee, said in a statement.
Experts call for the unconditional release of all people who are arbitrarily detained in Venezuela.
According to Venezuelan rights group Foro Punishment, the country was detained for political reasons, including several activists.
NL/Apo/JJ
