United Nations Human Rights Council
Intersessional Activity
Oral statement of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in the
interactive dialogue on the High Commissioner’s oral update on the situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
16 December 2025
Thank you, Mister President,
High Commissioner,
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) appreciates your oral update on the situation in Venezuela.
The ICJ deplores the human rights situation in Venezuela, which has deteriorated after the 2024 presidential election. Widespread repression of human rights defenders, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, and the closing of civic space in the country continue in total impunity. It is important that the Council also pays attention to the current grave tensions in the region marked by the unlawful attacks on vessels and the closure of Venezuelan airspace by the United States, as highlighted by the Special Procedures of this Council. The ICJ condemns these actions as a violation of international law
The ICJ notes that the closure of the ICC Prosecutor Office in Caracas occurs in a context of prolonged non-cooperation with multilateral institutions, including the OHCHR; and this Council. However, the ICJ underlines that international oversight remains indispensable. The ICJ therefore calls on the international community to maintain close scrutiny of the grave situation, with a view to ensuring effective and timely accountability for crimes against humanity under international law.
The ICJ calls on the Council to ensure that the work of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela is enabled by the allocation of adequate resources, as it is the only independent international mechanism exclusively dedicated to documenting gross human rights violations in Venezuela.
Thank you.
