Rule of law in Venezuela ‘eroded’: UN rights chief
The rule of law has eroded in Venezuela, the UN rights chief warned yesterday, pointing to attacks on political opponents and activists, including torture and thousands of killings by security forces. Presenting a damning report to the UN Human Rights Council, Michelle Bachelet said that attempting to exercise the most basic rights like freedom of opinion, expression, association and assembly “entails a risk of reprisals and repression”. “Essential institutions and the rule of law in Venezuela have been eroded,” she said. She decried attacks against “actual or perceived political opponents and human rights defenders ranging from threats and smear campaigns to arbitrary detention, torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence, killings and enforced disappearance.” Venezuela immediately slammed the report, which was published late Thursday.
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