U.N. Human Rights Chief calls for release of arbitrary detainees in Venezuela

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Saturday urged Venezuela to release arbitrarily detained individuals and end torture in prisons, as he wrapped up a visit to the South American country. 

Turk went on an official two-day visit to Venezuela last week to meet with President Nicolas Maduro, Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, and other government officials. Additionally, he met with opposition figures and human rights defenders.

"In my meetings with the president and ministers, I called for all people who have been arbitrarily detained to be released," Turk said on Saturday in a statement.

During his visit, Turk met with people who had been arbitrarily detained by Venezuelan authorities and had been tortured. 

“I heard accounts of people being arbitrarily detained and tortured, and of family members being killed in security operations and demonstrations. One woman was overcome with emotion as she recounted how two years ago her sister had been detained, raped, and tortured,” he said.

Turk also raised concerns about the lack of rule of law and the extent of pre-trial detentions in the country. He said that the country’s judicial system was open to abuse and had to be reformed. 

“I was given commitments that torture complaints would be addressed decisively, fully investigated and those responsible brought to justice... My team here conducts regular visits to detention centers but, as I flagged to the authorities, this needs to include all detention centers, including the ones run by the military,” he said.

Turk’s visit to Venezuela comes after the regime passed the first reading of a bill that seeks to regulate non-governmental organizations in the country. Advocacy groups and activists fear that if the bill is passed into law, it will further silence their work through new threats and intimidation.