United Nations Human Rights Council
59th Regular Session
Agenda Item 4
Oral statement of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in the interactive dialogue by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on Venezuela
27 June 2025
Mister President,
The ICJ notes the importance of the High Commissioner’s report on Venezuela, as it serves to focus the attention of this Council on gross violations of human rights, including those taking place after the elections in 2024 and 2025.
The ICJ draws the Council’s attention to the increase in the practice of arbitrary detention, particularly against national human rights defenders. A wide range of human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists, and activists, including Eduardo Torres, Rocío San Miguel, and Javier Tarazona, have been subjected to “short-term” enforced disappearances, arbitrary and incommunicado detention, torture and other ill treatment, and breaches of due process and pre-trial and fair trial guarantees.
The ICJ also deplores the increasing attacks against CSOs, including through statements from high-ranking government officials, and the use of criminal law to suppress their work. The implementation of NGO law and strict regulation by the banking supervisory authority has severely impeded the work under the false pretext of fighting money laundering and terrorist financing.
High Commissioner: Can you identify how, in particular, these restrictions on civic space have stifled the work of civil society and human rights defenders, and your recommendations to correct the situation?
Finally, the ICJ urges the Council to continue to closely monitor the continuously degrading human rights situation in Venezuela, by requesting periodic oral updates and reports of the High Commissioner, and the cooperation of Venezuela with special procedures and regional human rights mechanisms, and paying special regard to the work of the Fact-Finding mission on Venezuela.
Thank you.
Statement delivered by: Clément Decarsin-Americi, Advocacy Officer, ICJ
For more information, contact: Sandra EPAL-RATJEN – Email: Sandra.epal@icj.org
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The full statement is available for download here, English – Spanish.
