- The NGO stressed that the “new dynamics of repression” must be incorporated into the investigation | Photo: EFE
Juanita Goebertus, Americas director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), believes that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should expedite arrest warrants in Venezuela following cases of repression in the context of post-election protests.
“From different organizations we have insisted that these new dynamics of repression must be incorporated into this investigation and that it must advance as soon as possible towards the request for arrest warrants,” he said in an interview with the Colombian newspaper. The Weather published on August 13.
Goebertus expressed his concern that those arrested for the crime of terrorism are being prosecuted “almost automatically.”
“This is something different from what happened in the protests of 2014 and 2017 and has a very big implication, and it is that they are automatically deprived of their freedom and taken to the terrorism courts in Caracas,” he added.
He also questioned the virtual hearings from detention centers as part of the process, given that, in most cases, detainees do not have access to defense with trusted lawyers and without access to family members.
The ICC investigation in Venezuela
Goebertus recalled that the ICC Prosecutor’s Office, which has a headquarters in Caracas, has an open investigation into Venezuela.
“It should be remembered that the fact-finding mission of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, in its various reports, has already concluded that the Nicolás Maduro regime has committed crimes against humanity,” he said.
According to Juanita Goebertus, some of the crimes against humanity of which the Venezuelan State is accused are: extrajudicial executions, torture and forced disappearances.
“All the information that has been collected has been handed over to the ICC Prosecutor’s Office. So far, Prosecutor Khan has been in a process of collaboration with the government of Nicolás Maduro, where he has announced that the investigation is continuing,” he added.
HRW warned about the situation in Venezuela
Goebertus He warned of the events in the country following the presidential elections on July 28. He also indicated that HRW is following reports of 25 deaths, more than 90 injured and more than 20 missing due to the protests.
“We have been very concerned since the evening of the 28th, when it became evident that the pace at which the minutes were coming in was beginning to slow down, and when the opposition began to denounce that several of the polling stations were not allowing witnesses to have access to the minutes,” he explained.
He also warned about intimidation on social media through Operation Tun Tun.
The HRW spokeswoman said that the opposition’s statements and the statements of the Carter Center, one of the electoral observers in the elections, can be believed.
“It is clear that the election results reflect a very significant victory for Edmundo González, the opposition candidate,” Goebertus added.
Related news
#HRW #believes #ICC #expedite #arrest #warrants #Venezuela
2024-08-15 05:03:05
